The Rookie
by kdzl
Summary: Jennifer Jareau was a new agent in another department. Now she's got the job for a top position in an elite unit. Beginning with before the pilot and after the events with Adrian Bale, then continuing through the series. Romance in later chapters. J/R
1. Chapter 1

The bell on the door rang, signaling yet another customer entering in the busy coffee shop. Special Agent Jennifer Jareau looked up to see her friend and coworker Lauren Cawfield moving toward her.

"I thought you'd never show up." JJ smiled to her friend who plopped down across from her.

"Good things come to those who wait." Lauren smiled back. She was a short red-headed woman that had instantly bonded with JJ in the academy. Both were immediately accepted into the Missing Persons Unit of the FBI and were currently located in the Baltimore Field Office.

"Yeah, and I've been waiting long enough. Here. I got your latte."

"I knew there was a reason we were friends." Lauren sipped appreciatively.

"Yeah, that and you needed a place to live." JJ scoffed. Truthfully she and Lauren had become more like sisters throughout their training at the Academy. She was glad they had both gotten jobs in the same department. Although they were rarely paired up together and often had to deal with their annoyingly micromanaging Unit Liason, it had been a fun year and a half for both of them.

There was something about the way that her friend avoided her eyes that signaled to JJ that something was up. Although her friend meant well, she often meddled in other people's (most specifically JJ's) lives. It would be fine if she did it when JJ asked, but when JJ needed her help it would take the fun out of it for Lauren—hence the reason JJ found one day that her apartment had been sublet and all her stuff moved to an albeit nicer apartment. Or the time that her no good boyfriend got a phone call from her friend and immediately transferred to Seattle. Seeing the smirk that she knew all too well, JJ shook her head in disbelief.

"What did you do?" JJ asked her seriously.

"Me? Nothing." Lauren defended herself, knowing that JJ would see right through her. If there was one thing that both women knew, it was that Lauren was completely unable to lie. At all. Or keep a secret. Ever.

"_Lauren Marie Cawfield. _What did you do?" JJ asked, knowing that she was not going to like the answer.

"You may be mad at me." Lauren replied meekly. She loved JJ, and only wanted what was best for her blonde friend, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't a little bit afraid of her. Especially when she was angry. Lauren had been the brunt of JJ's wrath far too many times to take it lightly…usually it was because of stunts like the one she had just pulled.

"What. Did. You. Do?" JJ repeated, enunciating every word.

"I uh, may have possibly maybe sent your application to the BAU for their open liason position." She said, wincing as though to gauge JJ's response

"You _what!" _JJ replied in shock.

"Jayje, look you're better than that ogre we've got in our department, and you're not going to get anywhere with old bat-eyes breathing down your neck. And you're too modest to do it yourself." Lauren said in record speed, knowing that the faster she was able to explain herself, the less angry JJ could get and the faster it would be over.

"I can't believe you—What were you—How did you—" Lauren knew this wasn't a good sign and grimaced. It was never good when JJ was inarticulate.

"JJ. I did it for you. You'd love this job. It has all the blood, guts, and gore that you've always secretly liked, but can never admit because we work in a Missing Person's Unit where we hope people are alive, and relatively intact." Lauren interrupted.

"Well, I'm never going to get that job. I've only been in the Bureau for a year and a half! There's no way—"

"JJ, honey. I'm your best friend. You can't lie to me." She smiled as JJ guffawed. "How many job offers did you get when you graduated?" She pointed out.

"Like 17." JJ admitted begrudgingly. She had graduated at the top of her class from Pittsburg and had plenty of job offers. None of them had seemed as meaningful as the FBI which is why she immediately applied there.

"Jayje, this is like one of the most prestigious jobs in the Bureau. The BAU is—"

"Laur, they just blew up half their team!" JJ insisted softly. It wasn't that she was insensitive, but the entire bureau knew of what happened in Boston to the infamous BAU.

"Oh please! That only happens once! You're totally safe. And, you can always tell them that you don't want to go in any bomb containing buildings."

"Well, why didn't you apply yourself."

"Because I love living below my potential. You forget, I capitalize on the success of others. I do my job that makes me happy. You on the other hand like to be important. Which is why you will _love_ the BAU." Lauren insisted.

"I'm not even a supervisory special agent. They're not going to hire me for that." JJ finally was able to come up with an excuse that Lauren might buy.

"Well, that's not permanent. JJ you're 25 years old! You're already climbing the ranks. You think they'd really turn _you_ down."

"Well, you just let me know I get my rejection letter, and you'll have to buy me drinks." JJ countered. It wouldn't be the first time that Lauren had set her up for something just to have her heart broken.

"See, uh. That's the thing. You have an interview." Lauren said delicately.

JJ spat out the coffee she had been drinking "I have a _what_?"

"Tomorrow morning. In Quantico. 9:30. With the unit chief and section chief. SSA Hotchner and SSA Strauss—also commonly known as the Fire Breathing Dragon herself."

"How?" JJ sat shocked, unable to really believe this was happening.

"Remember that really good tech girl we worked with a while ago. Garcia?"

* * *

"Lauren, where's my tan skirt?"

"Oh, I haven't washed it yet. You can use my grey one." Lauren called from the other room as JJ grumbled. Not only did she have the worst friend in history, but she was also the worst _roommate _in history. She always stole JJ's clothes, never washed them until JJ finally broke down and did it herself.

"My interview is in two hours! I've got to leave like right now!" JJ insisted, near her breaking point.

"My gray one is clean. The black one is clean. The white one is clean but a little wrinkled. You can take your pick." Lauren pointed out, finishing her bowl of cereal before heading to work, as JJ was already ravaging through her closet.

"Fine. The black one!" JJ called. This was turning out to be a stressful morning.

* * *

"Agent Jareau. If you can wait here Agent Hotchner and Director Strauss will be with you in a moment. They're just finishing up another interview." The kind secretery-like agent instructed her before returning to her desk. JJ was now left in the large bullpen with several empty desks. She noticed the small TV mounted to the wall, and stepped closer to get a look at the football scores scrolling across the screen. She winced as her beloved Redskins again were decimated by another team. _Stupid Patriots! _She cursed mentally.

"You're a Redskins fan." A balding older agent said from behind. He was average height and kindly looking, in fact, he kind of reminded him of her father.

"Yeah. I can't help myself. Ever since I was little, they're the best team in the league." She admitted smiling at him. Whomever he was, it was always good to be friendly.

"You know, it's not a bad thing. It shows that you root for the underdog. That you're not swayed by people's opinion, that you're confident in your choices. It also shows that you're dedicated no matter what the statistics are." The man smiled kindly as JJ attempted not to blush.

"Well, other people would say I'm just crazy." JJ joked, attempting to lighten the mood.

"I'm a Ravens fan myself." He chuckled to himself as pretended to look disgusted at his admission.

"Well, at least you're not a Patriot's fan." She said as both laughed.

"I'm Jennifer Jareau. I work for Missing Persons in Baltimore. I'm interviewing--"

"For the Liason. I know." The man interrupted her. "Jason Gideon" He carefully studied her face. Gideon had looked at all of the applicants, and had inadvertantly met all of them. He saw the surprise in her eyes, quickly clouded under a mask of control. While Jennifer Jareau had a perfect application and an incredible interview, she had the job before she ever stepped into Aaron Hotchner's office. Not that she knew that.

"Well, I should be going, Hotch should be done in a moment." Gideon carefully extracted himself before Strauss could see that he was in the office. Technically he was supposed to be on medical leave. It had only been weeks since the incident, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to be involved in the selection process. And, he couldn't very well just leave Aaron Hotchner to do it. Hotch had been fighting for his life weeks before, and Gideon couldn't get the image of all of that blood out of his mind. So, he tended to check in on Hotch more than he should.

Watching the retreating figure JJ stood in momentary shock. _Jason Gideon!_ She had just met _the_ Jason Gideon. And she had talked about _football_?

"Hey there hot stuff. Oh! I'm so glad it's you." A colorful woman called that JJ instantly recognized as Penelope Garcia.

"So, I hear it's your fault I got into this mess." JJ observed. She had remembered going out for drinks with the brilliantly funny Penelope Garcia after they finished the case she had helped with. She was a riot.

"Oh, I just typed the keys. The ideas were all your gal pal Lauren's." Garcia insisted. She liked this blonde girl that wasn't about to back down but had a sense of humor and good fashion sense.

"Agent Jareau?" A tall dark-haired man stood at the doorway of an office with a file, presumably hers, in his hands. "Sorry for the wait." He apologized as she approached him. He stood in the open door motioning for her to enter. As she got a better look at him, she noticed how incredibly attractive he was. Cursing the wedding band she saw on his finger, she entered the office and sat in the designated chair.

"If you can excuse me for a moment, Director Strauss will start off by answering any questions you have and asking some of her own." The good looking SSA explained before exiting the room.

"So, what do you think?" Hotch asked Gideon as he folded his arms and stared at his office door.

"Go with the blonde."

"You do realize she's had less field experience than most of our applicants." Hotch pointed out.

"She's got a couple of months on Reid. He's been doing fine." Gideon countered.

"Why?"

"She handles herself under pressure. She's articulate, likely from a small town which is why she seems to get along with everyone. She's pretty, but not so pretty that you wouldn't trust her. She's got that girl next door look. Men like her because she's attractive. Women like her because she's relatable. She's controlled and determined, and not easily swayed by opinions of other people."

"How do you know all of this?" Hotch asked surprised.

"She's a 'skins fan." Gideon said as though it explained everything.

"So why does that make her better than the others?" Hotch asked.

"Guy number one will be here for three months tops. He can't handle the pressure, he may even have a heart attack. Guy number two is a ladder climber. He's not going to be looking out for the team, just how he can get to a better position. Girl number three is qualified, but she's going to ruffle feathers. She's not the type that will encourage police agencies to ask for our help. This girl, the blonde, will be deceptively effective in her job. People will trust her more than they think they will because she's got that disarming personality." Gideon explained.

* * *

_**AN/ I don't own Criminal Minds. I'm not sure which pairings I'll do in this fic, so if you have a preference, let me know! It won't be for a while that they'll creep up though, but I love hearing what people want to read. **_


	2. Chapter 2

"So, kid. Who do you hope gets the job?" Morgan asked Reid in a low voice so there was no way anyone else could overhear. They had been on a custodial interview before it happened, and as such, were pretty much the only members of the team to walk away unscathed. Hotch had just gotten out of the hospital, and the workaholic had been back within days. Gideon was still dealing with PTSD despite coming by weekly to check up on Hotch and teach his classes and for his daily chess game with Reid.

"I don't know." Reid said as he tried to concentrate on the files in front of him.

"I tell you what. I hope it's that hot blonde chick that just walked in Hotch's office. I mean, if I have to work, I might as well be looking at something nice." Morgan pointed out as Reid blushed. The two had been friends since Reid's first day with the team, but had gotten closer since the death of so many of their colleagues and friends. _Six agents! _Not to mention a Unit Cheif who almost...Morgan didn't like to think about how close Hotch had come to death that day.

"Morgan, if she gets the job, all you get to do is look. The rules will keep you from touching." Reid reminded him. Spencer always felt awkward when he and Morgan talked about women because he had no experiance with them. But, he would be lying if he said that the blonde girl was not his favorite candidate for the position. Or that he didn't feel a pain in his gut at the idea of Morgan asking her out.

"Rules? Rules are made to be broken my man." Morgan insisted, and immediately quieted as the door to Hotch's office opened.

"Ah, so that's how you justify you're blatant disregard for the Sexual Harrassment Policy with Garcia." Reid scoffed softly.

"Hey, it says that I have to stop when she tells me to stop. And she's worse than I am."

"Don't you know it my dark oasis." Garcia said from behind, watching Hotch shake hands with JJ.

"It'd sure be nice to get another girl around here." Garcia observed as JJ left the bullpen, oblivious of the searching glare the three were giving her.

* * *

"Agent Cawfield" JJ smiled as she heard her friend's comforting voice.

"It's over." JJ sighed. The interview had gone all right, but she had definitely done better before.

"What do you mean it's over? The interview? Or your life?" Lauren teased, trying to get JJ to reveal every detail of the interview.

"Funny." JJ retorted.

"And by your life, I mean that if you get this job then you need to say goodbye to all dating prospects because it just won't be possible."

"Yet another reason you signed me up for this. You want to take all my dates."

"Don't you know it. So spill, what happened? Apparently it went well enough that you developed a sense of humor since the last time I talked to you." Lauren teased.

"Ha ha. Funny. I wouldn't get so stressed out over this if I had a roommate that would wear her own clothes." JJ pointed out.

"Wait a second. Whose skirt are you wearing right now? Hmm....I know! MINE!" Lauren cackled in triumph and then remembered that she was still in the office as other agents stared at her unappreciatively.

"He said I'd know in a week if I got the job. So, we'll see."

* * *

"Agent Jareau, can I speak with you in my office?" She controlled herself enough not to cringe at her least favorite colleague, Agent White. She was an older ornery woman who resembled an ogre. From the moment JJ and Lauren walked into the MPU and Lauren commented that Agent White looked like Fiona off Shrek, JJ had a tough time respecting the woman.

"Sure." JJ shrugged as she shot Lauren a knowing look. They had only been in the office for about an hour, and it was already looking to be a long day. Following the other woman to her office, she sat across from her.

"I didn't know you were applying to other units." Agent White said snoopily.

"It was kind of a spur of the moment decision." JJ explained with a smile. "Almost as if someone else did it for me."

"You know the BAU is in desperate need for their liason since--"

"Yeah, I know. That's why I went and interviewed." JJ interrupted.

"Well, I hope you don't get blown up" The woman said passive-agressively.

"What?" JJ asked disbelievingly. This woman was ridiculous.

"Apparently, you sure made an impression. Aaron Hotchner has requested that you start with their unit immediately. Gather your things and get to Quantico, he'll be waiting for you in his office. I guess Congratulations are in order." The older woman said begrudgingly.

JJ kept her excitement contained. She knew the older woman had applied for the very position and hadn't even gotten an interview, so rubbing it in the older woman's face, though tempting, was not a good idea. Quickly thanking the woman, she bolted for Lauren's desk who was waiting expectantly.

"So, looks like you need to find a new place to live." JJ said, a small grin growing on her face as Lauren threw her arms around her friend in congratulations.

"You'll let me sublet! Congratulations! Ooo! Quantico is where all the hot agents are! You'll have to set me up!" Lauren squealed in excitement.

* * *

"Agent Jareau, please sit." Aaron Hotchner pointed to the chair across from his desk that she was now familiar with.

"Sorry it took me so long, Sir. I am still trying to figure out how to get here from Baltimore."

"Well, I'd say 3 hours and 15 minutes on short notice is pretty good." Hotch said observingly.

"What do you mean?"

"I had Garcia check in on you. It looks like you spent an hour cleaning out your desk and then were here immediatley after. I appreciate that type of punctuality. You'll fit in well here."

"Sir--"

Hotch cut her off quickly. "Please, call me Hotch. I'm not above any members of this team in any way."

"Ok, Hotch. Call me JJ. May I ask, how is the team doing?" She asked curiously. It was well-known around the bureau that the remaining members of the BAU were having a difficult time restocking their team.

"You deserve to know the truth. I will not stand for deception or lies. Ever. We're trying to be sensitive of the memory of the agents that we lost." Hotch pointed out.

"I understand that--"

"To you, they may have been six agents, but to me and my team, they were our friends--our family. Agent Rachel Burke left behind a three year old daughter, she was an excellent profiler and a good friend. Agent Sarah Casey, the woman you will be replacing, was the best friend of several remaining members of this team. She will be sorely missed. Agent Michael Walker had worked with me since SWAT-- one of the most promising profilers of his time--was currently leading another team of profilers. Agents Perry Stevens and Daniel Richards worked with a different team in the BAU but were men of character. And Agent Brayden Landers was on his first assignment out of the academy. These agents were my friends, and I will not have their memory erased by quickly replacing them."

JJ nodded in agreement. "That being said, this unit cannot function without a liason."

"I'm sorry for your loss." JJ said cautiously.

"Let me show you to your office. I'll have Garcia give you the tour, she told me that you've already met."

* * *

JJ walked out of Agent Hotchner's office, only to be greeted by the loud and colorful Garcia.

"Garcia, I take it you know Agent Jareau. Can you show her to her office? I'm preparing the case for tomorrow." Garcia nodded happily as Hotch retreated back into his office.

"Hey my home girl! Welcome to the B A of U, I will be your tour guide so keep your hands and feet in the...uh...cart at all times" She said with a smile. "The emergency exits are somewhere, I don't know, but they are labeled, so you will be able to find your way out in an emergency. Unless you are dumb, in which case good riddance!"

JJ laughed, knowing that was the desired effect. "Well, I guess I'll just have to trample you down in an emergency and beat you to the exit, huh?"

"Oh, it's on Barbie." Garcia laughed. It was nice to have someone that would exchange banter with her quickly. While she loved her main man, it was also nice to have another member of the superior gender around.

"Firstly, the boss man, gorgeous and very nice, but married. He is the cute Jimmy Chus you can look at but not afford. Enjoy from a distance. Ok, so for the grand tour. Your office--there." Garcia pointed as she walked quickly, "This my dear is the bull pen, if you see the black hunky monster of love and all things wonderful--he is mine. His mortal name is Derek Morgan, but I do not share." She said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Now let me take you to the single most important place in this entire building--the break room!" The two women chatted as they meandered to the small alcove in the corner. JJ was trying to contain her excitement at this new unit. Pausing outside of the breakroom Garcia whispered to JJ quietly.

"That lanky cutie pie is Spencer Reid. He's a super genius, completely adorable, but he's...well...special."

"Special?" JJ asked.

"Good Special. Like your favorite fuzzy pen, or a nice pair of electric green toe socks--You'll understand when you meet him." Garcia explained quietly.

Then speaking up loudly as to alert the coffee drinking man of their presence, she called "is everyone decent in there?"

"What?"

"Reid, are you dressed? We're coming in."

"Dressed? Of course I'm dressed! This is the breakroom!" JJ chuckled at how the boy, probably not much older than she was, flushed a new shade of red and how his voice reached an all-time high pitch. The girls entered the breakroom, and Garcia greeted Reid.

"Hey Spencey, whats down yo?" Garcia said with a smile. "This cutie is Agent Jennifer Jareau, but she goes by JJ, she is our _liason_" She spoke the last word like it was dirty and continued, "Her job is to liase." JJ laughed, Garcia made it sound like she was a hooker.

Reid looked at JJ curiously--she was pretty. Pretty girls made him nervous. He tried to calm himself down, but began fiddling with his full coffee mug. He had a terrible history with women--so while it was still embarrassing, it was no surprise when he spilled his coffee on her skirt, just missing her blouse.

"OH! I AM SO SORRY!" Reid yelled, he probably ruined her first day!

"Really it's ok, I have spot remover--I will be fine." JJ replied kindly--she understood special--and felt like she didn't need to get mad at the awkward genius. "Jennifer Jareau," she said extending her hand. The guy was kind of cute, in that boyishly handsome way.

"Dr. Spencer Reid" He said, shaking her hand.

"Doctor? Ph.d? My guess is in Engineering." She smiled, there was no way this guy was a medical doctor. His bedside manner would have lacked.

"Three, and Engineering is one of them." He responed with a tentative smile.

"Nice to meet you Spence."

"You too. JJ." He said awkwardly, incredibly grateful that she didn't make a larger deal about the coffee on her skirt. Quickly leaving the breakroom to prevent further disaster, the two women giggled at his departure.

"So. There's a bunch of other people you'll have to work with, but I work in the Bat Cave, so I'm just introducing you to the important ones. Heads up, though. That purple coffee mug, that was Sarah's. Don't use it--people..." She began to explain delicately.

"Are worried I'm going to come in here and try to replace her. I get it. Don't worry. I brought my own mug. It's labled." JJ smiled as Garcia laughed.

"Girl, you're going to fit in here just fine. But there's still one person I want you to meet. He's out teaching Self-Defense classes. Hot, huh?" Garcia asked her new found friend.

"Umm, sure." JJ said unsurly.

"Why don't we go out for drinks tonight?" Garcia suggested, knowing that what this tense blonde needed was to relax with her new teammates.

"Oh, I don't know. My roommate wanted to--"

"Invite her along! The more the merrier!" Garcia said brightly, as the women walked back to JJ's new office.

"Well, ok. Drinks couldn't hurt."

* * *

_**AN/ Thanks to everybody that reviewed! I'm excited about this story!**_


	3. Chapter 3

When JJ walked out of the BAU offices, she reached for her phone. She had to call her dad before she met Garcia and Reid for drinks. She dialed the familiar number, and heard her father's low, calming voice.

"Hey pumpkin, how was the first day?" John Jareau said to his daughter. He was excited for her and this new developement. JJ deserved good things.

"Hey daddy! The first day was good. I think I am going to love it here! It seems like its going to work out really well." JJ responed excitedly. Although they had always had a good relationship, she was especially glad that she could share this with her dad. Since her mom left just before JJ's twelfth birthday, her relationship grew from the one that was centered mostly on soccer to their present relationship. Work was always something her father loved to hear about, so she was glad that this was well within the limits of their relationship to be able to discuss it.

"I'm so proud of you sweetheart! Your brother and I want to have a celebration, when do you think you can make it back out here?" He asked delicately. Although the move from Baltimore to Virginia would not make his daughter much farther away, John Jareau would be lying if he wasn't a little apprehensive that his middle child--his only daughter--was moving even further from their rural Pennsylvania home.

"Probably not for a while. I'll let you know!"

"Ok, be safe." The familiar parting words were what her father always said since she had joined the bureau.

"I will daddy." She ended the call smiling. She wasn't sure why she had turned out to be the responsible sibling. Ever since her mother's emotional departure, JJ had felt the need to allow her father to feel needed. She would call him just to let him know what was going on in her life, ask him opinions when she already knew what she was going to do, and even sank as low as to ask him soccer advice. She had recognized early on that her father needed a distraction, and she volunteered to be it. Now, although he had many other distractions with his grandchildren living across the street and her younger brother deployed in Afgahnistan, it was simply habit.

Pulling her phone out yet again, she remembered the other call she needed to make.

"Agent Cawfield." Lauren's upbeat voice sang across the phone.

"Hey. It's me. Do you want to come out for drinks with a couple of people from my new work."

"Well, I've got a date. But, I want all the details. Is Agent Hotchner as good looking as everyone says he is?"

"I don't know. He's _married_!" JJ deflected. She was not the type of person to pine after a man that was married. She knew how devastating divorce could be on a child.

"Doesn't mean you can't look." Lauren pointed out, when JJ remained silent for a moment she smiled, knowing that her blonde friend would never admit that a married man was attractive.

"What about Agent Morgan. I hear he's to die for."

"Haven't met him yet. And honestly! What do you read? FBI Cosmo?"

"No. Bureau GQ." Lauren joked. While JJ had never been one to hang around the water cooler waiting for gossip on cute agents around the area, Lauren always had.

"Now what about this genius they've got there? I hear he's not bad himself."

"Honestly? I think this unit has some of the best looking guys I've ever seen in one unit." JJ confessed, knowing she was well out of range of anyone she could potentially be working with in the future.

Tired of her own inquisition, JJ turned the tables to her friend. "So, a date? I've been gone all of six hours and you've got a date? Who with?"

"An agent from Organized Crime. What can I say? I got lonely."

* * *

JJ was supposed to met Garcia and Reid at a bar about a mile from the FBI headquarters, named Phil's. _It looks like a glorified hole in the wall_, JJ thought to herself. She had her haunts back in Baltimore, and while they were far from exquisite, they were a lot less dilapidated than this wreck. But, bars didn't have to be pretty to have good liquor, so JJ entered, knowing that she may have to apply hand-sanitizer liberally. When she got inside, Garcia and Reid were no where to be found, so she made herself comfortable on one of the bar stools. Without warning, a tall, dark, handsome man approached her.

"Hey sweetheart! You here all alone? How 'bout I buy you and drink and keep you company?" The man said with a smile. He was a player--JJ knew the type well--and avoided them at all costs.

"I won't be alone for long, so feel free to go try that line on anything else in this bar, cause I am not buying it." JJ replied, she knew it sounded harsh, but guys like this were not easily deterred and he would be in for a round 2.

He looked at her curiously, he didn't get turned down very often. This girl did not know who she was dealing with. She looked slightly familiar, but apparently she hadn't made a big enough impression for him to remember her name. She would give him her number, he would not leave until she did.

"What, have you been spurned by a guy before? Why don't you let me buy you a drink and you can tell me all about it?" He said suggestively laying on the charm.

She had to admit, he was charming. But she had definitely dealt with her fair share of men of this caliber. She would be _blind_not to notice the chiseled muscles that lay beneath his dress shirt, but he wasn't cute enough. Plus, _if--_and that was a very big if--she was going to give him her number, he was going to have to work for it.

"Does that line actually work?" She scoffed as she raised her eyebrow in disbelief. "I'm sure it's worked before--"

"Oh, hey! You two found each other!" Garcia interrupted the pair who looked at her stunned.

"Hey mama!" Morgan quickly recovered, surely this woman wasn't...

"Derek. I'm so glad you already met JJ. Our new _liaison._" She raised her eyes suggestively making the group laugh.

"That's what? Like the fifth time you've made that joke. Each time it get's more awkward." JJ observed, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks.

"Honey, the word is French. I can't help but think all sorts of good dirty jokes each time I hear your 'title'."

"Yeah, and she won't be done until the entire bureau thinks you're a French hooker. Did you know that the term _liaison_ comes from--" Reid began, coming up from behind--shocked at his own boldness and began using statistics to make himself more comfortable.

"Yeah, that too. Let's get a table." Garcia admitted, effectively cutting off another statistical observation from the young genius. She began scanning the room for which of the many available tables the group would now invade and quickly pulled Reid to a booth near the corner and began ordering rounds for the four of them. Morgan and JJ held back, hoping for an opportunity to clear the air after their awkward introduction.

"Hey listen..." Morgan started before JJ interrupted.

"No. Me first. I'm usually not such a wench. I just--"

"No. Don't worry about it." Morgan assured, grateful that he wasn't the only one feeling incredibly embarrassed that he hit on the newest member of his team. Now that he knew who she was, he remembered seeing her across the bullpen and commenting to Reid. "You probably get guys like me saying stuff like that all the time, right?"

"Well, I've had my fair share, but I wouldn't say all the time." JJ dismissed. Honestly, she wasn't sure why some of these pompus jocks tended to try to pick her up in bars, but to rudely reject a new coworker? She felt absolutely humiliated.

"Why don't we just start over, and never mention this again?" Morgan offered.

"Deal. I'm Jennifer Jareau, nice to meet you." She smiled, offering him her hand.

"Derek Morgan. Now let's start with those drinks."

* * *

After a couple of minutes, JJ was starting to feel awkward. Reid was silent, Morgan was distracted, and Garcia was forcing conversation. JJ had to think fast to salvage the evening. She knew that she was the reason the trio's dynamic was different than usual and she did not want to be known as a lame person to hang out with.

"Who wants to play a drinking game?" JJ asked after Garcia and Reid were done talking about the underground trains in D.C. Reid would answer Garcia's questions begrudgingly with one word responses. While JJ did not know Reid, he seemed starkly different than the lovable man she met this morning, although she had to admit that he seemed rather attractive when he pouted.

"OOOH! Kinky! Which one?" Garcia exclaimed, grateful for any opportunity to get out of the odd rut the conversation was in.

"Let's play 'I've Never', that way we can really get to know the _liaison"_ Morgan said it like it was dirty.

"Okay!" Garcia and JJ replied in unison.

"Fine. What are the rules?" Reid said sulking with his arms folded.

"We take turns saying things we've never done. If another person has done it, they take a drink. If nobody drinks, than the person who said it has to drink." JJ explained kindly.

Morgan had it with Reid's attitude, this was JJ's first interaction with the team and he didn't want it ruined by Reid's being grumpy. In order to get the genius involved he insisted, "Reid, start us out."

"Fine, I have never played this game." Reid said quickly, while Garcia, Morgan, and JJ groaned and took a shot.

Now it was Garcia's turn, she wanted to do one that would get all of the others,_ but what? _she thought to herself. Finally with an epiphany, she exclaimed, "Alrighty my educated beauties, I have never graduated college, I went but never finished."

"Hey does that mean that Reid has to do more shots than me and JJ? I mean, he's got like seven degrees." Morgan joked as Reid scowled. "Okay new girl, your turn."

Wanting the men to be more inebriated, she said wickedly "I have never had a sexual experience with a woman."

Morgan smiled, and quickly drank then asked "Do you want me to do a shot for each one, 'cause I don't know if there's enough liquor in this place to--"

"Oh, hush up Sugar." Garcia said as she took a drink. Morgan smirked as Reid also quietly drank. _So the kid's not a virgin. _He thought.

"What?" Garcia asked as JJ looked at her in disbelief. "Oh, Honey. This is DC in the new millenium. What are you expecting? Didn't you go to college?" Garcia retorted wickedly as the new girl remained quiet.

"Yes. But...Hey, I grew up in rural Pennsylvania. My friends were Amish. I consider the fact that I use electricity to be a big step in the right direction." JJ recovered with a smile as the others laughed. Truthfully she _was_ a small town girl, and although she was in no means a prude, she tended to adhere to the small town ideals.

"Ok, I've never watched an episode of Star Trek." Morgan said after a moment, hoping to get his newly sullen friend out of the funk that he seemed to be exhibiting.

Reid, Garcia, and JJ drank, with now Reid looking at JJ in disbelief and wonder.

"What? We trekkies are not made, we are bred! I love Star Trek!" JJ said as the table laughed disbelievingly. "What? You don't believe me? My older brother's middle name is Kirk, my middle name is Christine, and my little brother's middle name is McCoy."

"Really? What is your favorite franchise?" Reid asked excitedly.

"Hello? Next Generation of COURSE!" JJ replied, glad that the genius was finally starting to open up.

"I'm partial to the original series, but Next Generation was great!" Reid said animatedly, then suddenly quieted as Morgan leaned in close to JJ.

"You know, there's no going back now." He whispered. He _definitely _noticed how the younger man's attitude seemed to revolve around his own proximity to the new blonde.

"I've got to run to the bathroom, Let's order more rounds." She looked at Garcia questioningly, wondering whether the other woman would join her.

"No. I'll stay here and have a chat with the good doctor. Morgan--go get us more drinks!"

* * *

When Morgan and JJ were out of earshot, Garcia turned to Reid furiously. "Okay boy, you going to pull the stick out of your tush, or should I? Seriously, what is up with you? She is new, and scared, and lonely! The least you could do is be nice! Really Munchkin, if I did not love you so scary much, I would murder you in a way that even Gideon wouldn't have seen before!"

Reid just shook his head, he knew he was being a jerk, but this is how it always went. Garcia instantly understood what it was about. Her face softened and she spoke kindly, "Honey, she is not going to like you if she thinks you hate her."

"She isn't going to like me period. Not in that way. Not with Agent Derek Morgan being attainable. He is like the stupid goose, with the golden eggs! Everyone wants him! Its frankly disgusting." Reid said bitterly.

"You never know baby boy," Garcia said, and continued after seeing Reid's look of shear skepticism, "No Reid! You do not get to be mean to her. I will not let you! I will give you a computer virus so lethal that you will writhe and shriek in pain. And besides, I think you have a great shot and scoring blondie"

"Really?" Reid said in excitement, but grew quiet as he saw Morgan approach them.

"Hey, You guys talking about me or is there another reason why ya'll did the awkward 'stop-talking-when-the-loser-approaches' thing?" Morgan asked. _So the kid likes JJ, eh? _Morgan thought to himself as he saw the look Reid's face. This could be fun. Morgan began talking to Garcia conspiratorialy, loudly enough so the genius could hear.

"You know, JJ is cool--but, she totally shot me down. Right before you got here, I started working the Derek Morgan magic, and she was not having any part of it." He said as Reid's face suddenly fell.

_If she doesn't even fall for Derek Morgan, what makes me think she'd ever go for me? _Reid thought to himself degectedly.

Garcia, catching Morgan's meaning and knowing the thoughts that were probably racing through the other man's mind decided to play along.

"You don't think that she bats for the other team?" Garcia suggested.

"No, I just don't think I'm her type...but that's good because I think we're better as friends." Morgan said quietly as he saw the new girl approaching, hoping the younger man would understand.

"Ok, so where were we?"

"Reid's turn!"

"I've never been in 4th grade--the majority of elementary school for that matter." Reid smiled, as the three groaned and drank quickly.

"Seriously?" JJ asked. "How do you miss elementary? Are you one of those _home schooled _kids?" She said as though it would explain so much to her.

"No. I graduated from High School at 12. I finished elementary at 7, although it would have gone faster if they didn't make me learn how to cut a straight line." He smiled as the others laughed loudly.

JJ smiled. These were going to be fun people to work with.

* * *

_**AN/ Thanks to everybody that reviewed! I'm excited about this story!**_


	4. Chapter 4

JJ walked into her new office ridiculously early the next morning. She had caught a cab back to her own apartment, much to Garcia's dismay, and then called a cab early the next morning to pick up her car that had been left at the bar. She smiled as she thought of the others, certain that they had terrible hangovers. She herself was perfectly fine. She had always been able to drink much larger and confident people under the table. She also didn't want to be late for her first full day of work at the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Agent Hotchner was supposedly presenting a case, so she was supposed to take notes. After this case, it was all her.

She got a small thrill off seeing her name plate on the door. When she opened the door, she saw her office for the first time. She made a silent vow she knew she'd break to herself that she was going to keep this office neat, unlike her unruly desk back at Baltimore. She saw the case files stacked nice and tidy and couldn't help to think, _This is not going to last long._While JJ had nothing on Lauren in the slob department, she left some to be desired on the organization front. She was a busy person, and her desk often personified that. She knew that eventually, while getting caught up in the details of the cases, she would fall far behind and the papers would mount to unfathomable heights.

She heard a soft knock on the door. "Come in." She said excitedly, she wasn't used to having an office of her own, making her ability to tell people to 'come in' very appealing. The door gave a soft creak and JJ watched as Gideon walked into her office.

"So, it looks like you're settling in."

"Yeah, just like Laveranues Cole." JJ scoffed in reference to her beloved Redskins who just traded back the wide receiver to the NY Jets. He hadn't been a great fit from the start, in JJ's opinion, and was a little afraid that her performance with this team would yeild a similar outcome.

Gideon laughed at the football reference. "I just wanted to come up here and welcome you to the BAU. I know we won't be working together for a couple more months, but I still wanted to see how things were going. What do you think of the team?" He asked.

"I like them all a lot!" JJ replied laughing, "Especially Garcia, and Reid. And Hotch and Morgan have been great." JJ finished blushing a little at herself. She hoped Gideon wouldn't pick up on her little crush-- or crushes. While Morgan was good-looking, he didn't hold the attraction for her that Reid (or secretly Hotch--although she thought it was pathetic that she had a mini crush on her married boss) did.

"Who's Garcia?" Gideon asked puzzled.

"Never mind." JJ smiled to herself, and then mentally checked. _It is Garcia, right? No. I know that's her name._

"Are you overwhelmed yet?" He asked knowingly.

"Maybe a little." She confided. Truthfully, she was scared spitless, and doing her best to just breathe.

"Let me give you some advice, don't be late to your first breifing. Hotch is picking this next case, but after that, it's all up to you. Don't sweat the small stuff. You'll do fine."

"Why aren't you in the field?" She asked curiously, oddly calmed by his advice.

"Because apparently I'm having a major depressive episode. It lets me teach my classes. But is it depressive to think that you're responsible for the deaths of agents that your responsible for, or is it human?" He mused, the last part coming out more of as a whisper before he suddenly stood.

"Well good luck."

"Wait!" She stopped him before he could leave her alone in the now daunting office. "How do I know which ones to pick?"

"I can't tell you that." He sighed, looking truly saddedned. "that's something you have to figure out yourself." He finished before he turned and walked away without looking back.

"I really hate it when people say stuff like that." JJ commented under her breath, and began looking at the folders neatly stacked in the middle of the desk.

* * *

JJ sat in the hospital chair miserably reviewing the events that had transpired in the past 24 hours. _How could it have possibly gotten this bad? _She asked herself. She had started out doing everything she could possibly think of to help. Technically she was only supposed to do the press releases, but she had wanted to do more. She quickly noticed the things that needed to be done, and did whatever was necessary. Preparing press conferences, handling the media and local officials, and even consoling the victim's families. When one of the families of the victims needed to be notified, she volunteered, trying to do whatever was possible to help. That was when it all started.

She smirked as she saw her boss, Agent Hotchner, walk up briskly to the hospital desk. Seeing her sitting in the waiting room, he slowed his pace and seemed to give her distance. Knowing this moment was coming sooner or later, JJ smiled softly at him, motioning for him to sit next to her.

"What happened?" He asked immediately, opting to forgo the pleasantries of polite conversation.

"I told her that her son had been found, but he didn't make it. She passed out! She hit her head, and they think she has a concussion," She let out a soft laugh, "shows how well this is all going."

"JJ, I--"

"No, sir. I totally understand. I'll have my resignation on your desk first thing in the morning."

Hotch chuckled a little bit at that. "I know you've probably heard that I'm a drill sergent, but I usually give people more than their first case before I decide that they don't belong in this unit."

"Hotch, when this lady wakes up, I am going to have to tell her all over again. I am going to make her live her worst moment twice. I don't belong in the BAU!" JJ confessed. She was so disheartend by what had happened. She couldn't believe that she could have messed up that badly.

"JJ, on one of my first cases as a prosecutor, I lost an easy case. We should have won, but I pursued a moronic avenue and the jury rightly saw through it. I was young and cocky and didn't realize that while we had a strong case, I still needed to prosecute straight-forward and not try to show moral injustice to inspire a revolution. I had to tell that family why their daughter was not going to get justice." JJ nodded, still unsure what this had to do with her predicament, but willing to let the man ramble.

"I told them how my idiotic soap-box preaching had lost us the case, and how deeply sorry I was. When they heard all of this, they were distraught. The father was livid and came at me. I didn't think before I punched him squarely in the nose. Trust me when I say that everyone has their share of stupid experiences."

JJ nodded appreciatively, it was good to know that someone that she was growing to respect understood how she felt. "Hotch, I still can't go in there. I won't."

"I understand completely, and if after we are done talking you still can't go in, I will. But first, I have a few things to tell you. You are the liaison, you are the primary ally of the families of the victims we help. You are the person that views every case we take and every case we don't take. It will be hard. You will need a thick skin in this line of work." JJ smiled at that. She liked it when things were hard, it made it all the more enjoyable when you succeeded, and a thick skin was definitely something she had.

"You will be the voice that a poor over-worked homicide detective can call when he runs out of leads. You will be the person a family can turn to."

"I thought everyone just wanted to be a profiler." JJ joked to her boss, and then continued with a question that been nagging her since she found out she got the job. "Why did you hire me? I am extremely grateful that you did, but I had the least experience, the lowest security clearance, and I am really not qualified. With that said, I am really glad you hired me, but I just wonder why."

"Have you ever wondered why Gideon comes in almost everyday, even though he is supposedly on medical leave?" Hotch asked.

"That doesn't answer my question." JJ replied persistantly. She needed to know, some Yoda-esque answer was not what she was looking for.

"No. It has everything to do with it though. In Boston, I was injured by the explosion that killed our other agents. My heart stopped, I was clinically dead. Jason Gideon performed CPR on me for 20 minutes before a medic was able to come. He sat, with my life in his hands, as my ribs cracked, as my blood pooled over his hands." JJ sat stunned, still curious as to how this could possibly answer her question and allowed him to continue.

"The moment I found out what he did for me was the moment that I decided to trust Jason Gideon completely." Hotch confided, "Jason Gideon told me to hire you. And I completely agree with his assessment that you will be an asset to this team."

The pair was interrupted by an orderly that quickly approached. "Agent Jareau? You asked me to let you know when Ms. Stiles woke up."

"Yes. Thank you." JJ smiled kindly at the hospital worker, who left as quickly as he had come.

"Do you want me to--?" Hotch began, but was cut off by the blonde standing and staring decisively.

"No. I've got this." JJ walked into the room without another word.

* * *

With her first case finally done, JJ was glad to board the jet to go home. She sat down, pulling out a case file to review it. It was hard territory to know that the cases she did not take could lead in lives being lost. How could she forgive herself if she picked wrong? But that fear did not shut out the truth, the truth that she really did know how to pick the cases. It was all about intuition and what felt right. And while it was hard to not pick all of the cases, she had to help those she could.

"Hey, can I sit here?" Someone asked nervously, interrupting JJ from her train of thought.

JJ looked up at Reid, who smiled at her uncertainly, and responded, "Of course, Spence." She slid her things over to make room for the genius.

"So...um..." He began, nervously fidgiting with the cards in his hands.

"Do you want to play?" She finished for him smiling. She was fairly certain she could beat this guy, she didn't know if he was even capable of lying.

"Yeah. Poker?" He suggested with a smile.

Four hands later, JJ was reevaluating her initial assessment. He was _decimating_ her. It was a good thing they weren't playing for a lot of money, because she would be broke.

"Ok, how did you get so good?" JJ asked exasperated.

"Did I ever tell you that I'm from Vegas?" Reid asked with a smile.

"Oh, so you're a cheater!" She exclaimed. She didn't grow up with an older brother for nothing. One thing Brayden had definitely taught his younger sister was how to stack a deck and knowing that she wasn't playing with someone that would be hurt by her blatant cheating, she decided the game was _on!_

"One more hand." She commanded.

* * *

_**AN/ Thanks to everybody that reviewed! All of you reviewers have been awesome! **_


	5. Chapter 5

"I can do this." JJ muttered to herself as she sifted through case files, she had to pick her first case. It was just a difficult concept for her to wrap her head around, that others may die because she chose something else. It would never matter what she picked over this hypothetical case, because even if they caught that guy, someone else was still dead.

Death may be upsetting, but she had to follow her intuition. She knew that her gut would tell which one to go with, and guilt--while not exactly appealing--was almost inevitable. Sighing, she opened the first case file, rapist who tortured his victims but he had only two victims in eighteen months--so while she sincerely hoped she could get to it later--she closed the case file. She hated that she had to, but JJ could not justify to her superiors getting involved, at least not yet.

Case file number two was a pedophile who molested and killed a 6 year-old boy. JJ felt sick, all these pervs made her feel that way. She racked her brain for a way to help all these helpless victims, but a solution did not exist. She would have to pick and choose. She could send some of these cases to agents, but there was no way for her to focus the entire team's energy on each individual victim. Cursing the bureaucratic red tape that kept her from helping all of these victims, she closed the file of the 6 year-old boy.

Then, in a strange occurrence, something wet dropped on the case. JJ could not figure out what it was, but then it happened again. And again. And then again. All of these strange wet drops on the case files. And then JJ realized they were coming from her.

JJ never had been one for tears. Being raised around testosterone made crying unfeasible. She had been raised to be tough, she hadn't cried since her mom left. Not even when she broke her arm in two places. Not when her boyfriend of a year cheated on her. JJ really did not cry. So, for JJ, crying suddenly in her office, was odd. Very odd. And really embarrassing. She made a silent promise to herself to never--ever--let anyone close to her know that this ever happened. Her masterful plan, however, was foiled by the knocking at her door.

"Agent Jareau?"

"Uh...Come in." JJ replied, quickly rubbing her eyes, attempting to clean up the running mascara before Hotch walked in. As Hotch opened the door, he looked at her in surprise but quickly masked it behind the stern look he usually carried.

"Have you been crying?" Hotch asked, with just enough consideration that JJ just barely noticed the skepticism in his voice.

"No, it's just allergies. Stupid hay fever." JJ lied quickly, trying to sound congested.

"Oh, hay fever. I was just about to say that if you where in fact crying, it's okay. People cry sometimes. While I would not suggest crying in front of Morgan--because he would tease you relentlessly--a small, private breakdown would not be the end of the FBI." Hotch said, completely seeing through her.

"Aw...Hotch, are you telling me that you secretly tear up in your office? Really, I hadn't pegged you as the type." JJ teased, trying desperately to recover from her boss walking in on her little cry session.

"Agent Jareau, while I respect your right to cry secretly in your own office, I don't cry. Ever." Hotch said with great finality and continued, "When you pick the case, let me know, we will set up in the conference room."

JJ nodded, "Alright, see ya Hotch."

"Bye" He said opening the door slowly and then turning around. "And Agent Jareau, next time you cry and blame it on hay fever, you should remember that I have complete access to your medical records and know all of your allergies." He gave her a small smile.

JJ could not believe that first, Hotch caught her crying, and secondly, that he had actually made a joke...maybe.

"Hey, Rookie!" Morgan barged into her office almost seconds after Hotch had left.

"What?"

"Wanna go for a coffee run?"

* * *

JJ picked her case, it was in Richmond, Virginia, there was a serial rapist who murdered, tortured, and raped fifteen women in the last year. She presented it the best she could, the team immediately agreeing to help and leave instantly. Mostly, the case went off without a hitch, other than a police officer leaking the profile that she had _expressly _told them not to. It wasn't her fault, really. She tried to remind herself that it wasn't her fault four more victims turned up with a note for her--for the FBI--that the Unsub was smarter than all of them. Eventually, they caught the guy, and they were headed back home. To more cases. The plane ride home felt like an eternity. She busied herself in a few of the many case files, determined not to let this feeling of guilt deter her from doing her job.

"JJ?" The deep voice of her boss interrupted her horror of the case that lie in front of her.

"Yeah?"

"It's not your fault." Hotch spoke softly as to not wake Reid and Morgan who were sleeping fitfully.

"I know. I just--" JJ stopped. She wasn't sure how she felt, and she sure didn't know how to describe it.

"You just feel as though maybe you should have done something differently. Maybe if you had worded something different, more people wouldn't have had to suffer." Hotch offered a grim smile as he saw his words impact the young agent. "Maybe's offer no peace from the job. You did the best you could, and that's all to be expected. You do good work." Hotch attempted to comfort her.

"Thanks." JJ offered. Truthfully, he had described her feelings verbatim, and she wasn't quite sure how to process that. Knowing that she should say something to the attractive man across from her, she put on a brave face and ended their conversation. "I think I'm just going to go to sleep now."

"Good luck." Hotch stood and returned to his original seat on the plane. He picked up the book he was reading, anxious to get back to Hailey to see if his suspicions were correct. She had been moody lately and nauseous. He was hoping that the passionate night he shared with his wife the night he came home from the hospital would be the life changing result he suspected.

Looking to the back of the plane, he saw the blonde, curled up. To the untrained observer, one might have assumed she really was asleep. But he was no untrained observer. He noticed the way her hands drifted conspicuously close to her eyes as she batted away unseen hair. He wondered if he would still be able to cry at the atroscities they saw daily. He rather hoped he would.

* * *

"Laur, I love you so much, but if you don't help me pack this box I may blow a gasket." JJ called to her roommate. She was moving to a condo in Virginia and her dad and her brother would be there any minute to help her load her boxes into a U-HAUL and drive it to her new home. Lauren wasn't helping because she was reading JJ her horoscope. JJ was luckily going to find 'great prosperity in patience' today, although she didn't feel like being patient with Lauren not helping her.

"Jayje, I know you have to move...But I don't want you too!" Lauren said crying. Her best friend always cried at emotional moments, so JJ was expecting this. She already had her departure speech planned for her roommate.

"Lauren, I am not that far away. We will talk on the phone everyday. And besides, you don't notice me living here, you are with 'Perfect Paul' all day long. Also, you will have so much fun living by yourself. You won't have to deal with my health food kicks. You can eat all the empty calories you want and I won't tell you how disgusting you are being. And you won't have to deal with my early morning step-aerobics. And, you can choose to be a slob and I won't be here to freak." JJ tried to soothe her best friend.

"But you still won't be here!" Lauren whined handing JJ some books that needed to be boxed up.

"But Paul will. Paul, with the big muscles and the white teeth and who for some reason finds you funny. You will not miss me for a second." JJ teased. Paul and Lauren met the day JJ left and spent every waking second together. JJ liked to think it was good karma for her friend, like Lauren helping JJ get the job would lead to Lauren meeting a good guy.

"Paul will be fun. And I also can get a dog. You never let me get a dog." Lauren mused. JJ hated animals, especially big ones like dogs. Lauren had heard many times that while JJ thought they were cute from a far, she never wanted one. Ever.

"Another great possibility!" JJ laughed as she heard a knock on the door and let her dad and brother in.

"Pumpkin?" JJ's dad called through her apartment.

"We're back here in the bedroom, dad." JJ replied, as her dad entered the room she could immediately tell he was incredibly excited. Her brother Brayden had a knowing look, but seemed content to let her father spill whatever good news had him so jovial.

"What?" JJ asked questioningly. Her father was a kind man, but he seldom was this visible in showing his emotions.

"You're brother is coming home!" Her dad practically danced with happiness.

"Jared? Really, when?"

"Not for 6 months, and his contract may be extended." Brayden admitted, not wanting to disappoint his father, but knowing his sister needed to know the facts.

"Well, either way it is still good news!" JJ smiled and then added, "Maggie must be excited." JJ teased her brother. Brayden and his young family had watched Jared's dog since he left. The poor thing hadn't been her hyper self since Jared went to Afghanistan. Maggie was one major factor in JJ's hate for dogs. She was cute, but big and drooled all over the place. JJ also had no patience for the stench.

"Whatever, the dog likes me better now. She won't even care about Jared!" Brayden countered with a satisfied look on his face. The father, too excited to stand the banter, gave Brayden a heavy box that wiped the smugness right out of him.

"Take it to the truck." Her father ordered.

"Dad, Bray, thanks so much for helping me. If you hadn't come I would be stuck with just me and Lauren, and you can imagine how that would turn out." JJ thanked her family.

"It's no problem, we'd love to help." Her dad said with a smile

"You love to help because your not the one carrying the boxes! I didn't have a choice! My wife made me!" Brayden yelled as he made his way through the door. JJ just laughed and shook her head.

"I knew I liked Anna for a reason."

* * *

_**AN/ Thanks to everybody that reviewed! All of you reviewers have been awesome! Let me know what you think!**_


	6. Chapter 6

"So, Rookie, you up for the inter-unit flag football game?" Morgan asked as the pair met unofficially in the break room. She had been living in Virginia for almost a month, and while she was adjusting well, she still didn't really feel like she fit in with the unit yet.

"I haven't decided yet." JJ replied.

"Oh! Come on! Hotch is even going to come." Morgan insisted.

"I don't know. I was kind of hoping to--"

"Please! I've even got _Reid _to agree to come." Morgan begged. Seeing JJ's doubtful look, he tried another tactic. "Do you not know the rules? 'Cause I could give you some _higher education."_Morgan said suggestively, causing JJ to laugh uncontrollably.

"Morgan, I grew up with brothers. Of _course_ I know the rules of football. I _love_ football, I just don't know if I want to play in an inter-unit game. I'm more of a soccer girl."

"Aww, come on girl! I promise, nothing will happen. It will be fun. I'll even get Garcia to come."

"Ok, fine." Morgan cheered, and JJ couldn't help but smile. Maybe this would be fun. And even if it wasn't, she got to see Reid in action. Which in itself would be fun.

"Girl, this is going to be off the hook!" Morgan smiled and ran to go tell Garcia that he single handily got blondie to play football against the guys in Internal Affairs.

* * *

"Ok, I'm going to throw it to the Rookie, go long and get clear of Michaels. Reid just cover her, just run along beside her so Micheals can't get to her. Do not try to go for the ball. I know you want to, but don't. I will fake pass to Hotch who will run to the left and try to block Davis." Morgan instructed the huddle. They were down by a touchdown, and JJ had yet to miss a pass he had thrown at her, although the large, burly IA Agent had done everything in his power to try to stop her.

Breaking the huddle, JJ smiled secretly to herself, knowing that she had been the game winning player for the team. Reid had simply run out of the way from the other agents. Hotch was a decent player, and between the two of them and Morgan, they were a decent team. Reid however, seemed to be _trying _to lose. She thought it was kind of cute that he couldn't catch, or run the ball very well. Cute, but it didn't help her win the game, and her competitive spirit had a tough time being reminded that this was a game for fun. Hotch's barely pregnant wife was sitting beside Garcia, cheering the BAU on to hopeful victory.

Calling the snap, JJ bolted for the 'endzone' past the line of trees in the park. Michaels was on her heels, but she could easily outrun him. Reid was running close to her, attempting as best he could, blocking Michaels from her path. She saw Morgan lob the ball in her direction, and felt it land softly in her hands. She was almost there, with Reid maintaining a surprisingly close distance. She smiled to herself, _maybe he is getting the hang of this, _as she had the 'endzone' in sight. Suddenly, her right leg seemed to stumble on something and she felt her body crashing down quickly, hearing a soft snap in the process. Unsure of what happened, she immediately looked for the offending item, and noticed the blundering genius sprawled mere feet away from her.

Attempting not to laugh, she went to stand and quickly recover from her embarrassment, only to feel intense pain as her leg gave out from under her. Suddenly, the throbbing began. JJ really wanted to swear. She had been raised in a home where cursing was not taken lightly, but she _really _wanted to let out a nice, long string of four-letter words. Controlling her mouth for a moment, she just let out a loud moan.

"OH MAN! JJ, What happened?" Morgan yelled running over to her, as Reid scrambled to her side and attempted to help her up. At the clumsy brainiac he just said "Reid, she is on our team! And we aren't even playing tackle."

"Um...My knee is uh...I can't walk on it." JJ admitted calmly. She didn't want to seem dramatic, and she hated the doctor--but, when it came to physical injury it was best to be honest with the injury, but downplay the pain.

"JJ, I am so sorry, I didn't-I- I am so sorry." Reid babbled a string of apologies. _Nice way to impress a girl, genius! Just try to kill her! That will make her want you._ Reid thought to himself.

"Spence, its fine. I will be okay. It doesn't hurt that bad." JJ tried to soothe Spence. He had been trying his best, and that's what counted--at least that's what she tried to remind herself. JJ tried to breath deep and even, hoping it would control the pain. She didn't want Reid to be upset with himself.

"JJ will you be ok?" Hotch called to her.

"Yeah, I am fine. I just need a sec." JJ assured her boss, putting on her best poker face.

"No, your leg looks weird. I think you should go to the hospital." Morgan commanded.

"If untreated, injuries to muscular tissue can deteriorate--" Reid began, looking around nervously.

"Morgan, Reid, I will be fine." JJ interrupted and tried to convince her new friends, but Hotch spoke up.

"No. JJ, We are taking you to the hospital. Morgan will take you to the car. Reid, go with them." Hotch ordered.

"No. Really, I'm fine. I just need to--" But her pleas were in vain, as the muscular profiler picked her up and started walking. JJ knew that Morgan had to be strong, but the muscles where much more noticeable as he carried her. _I bet Garcia is going to be jealous. _JJ thought to herself, and threw a nice, gloating look at Penelope, who was rushing towards them from her place on the sidelines. If JJ was going to be humiliated by being carried off the field, she might as well have fun doing it.

Reid opened the passenger door to the bureau SUV and Morgan placed her delicately inside. The pain in her leg was excruciating, but she wasn't about to let her new colleagues know that. Garcia quickly hopped in the backseat, worried for her new friend and ready to do anything to make her feel more at ease. Spence sat nervously in the back, worried for the woman he had injured--and secretly praying that the blonde agent wouldn't fall in love with Morgan because he carried her to safety. Morgan drove quickly to the nearest hospital, feeling ever guilty that he enticed the young agent to join them.

"Rookie, I'm sorry I dragged you into this." Morgan cringed as he saw JJ's white knuckled fist, the only indication of how badly her leg hurt.

"It's fine." She replied shortly. The less she had to speak, the better.

"Look, What can I do?" He asked.

"What?" Her jaw clenched unconsciously.

"I'll do whatever I can to make it up to you." Morgan insisted.

"Anything?" She asked, the tension of the pain in her leg unintentionally edging into her voice.

"Anything. You name it, it is done." Morgan insisted, it was the least he could do since he made her come to the game in the first place. It was also his fault that he positioned Reid at her side, putting her life in perilous danger.

"Don't ever call me 'Rookie' again." JJ said, making the entire car burst out in laughter.

"Seriously. What can I do to make it up to you?" Morgan said once the laughter died down.

"Seriously. Don't ever call me 'Rookie' again. This I can deal with. You call me 'Rookie' once more, and I'll shoot you." JJ attempted to smile but it came out as more of a grimace, causing Morgan to laugh heartily.

"You got it girl."

* * *

"Agent Jareau," The doctor came into the room quickly, sitting down next to her. JJ was severly annoyed at having to wait in the long line of the emergency room and then be taken to x-ray before the doctor would come in. Garcia, Morgan, and Reid all sat by her side, hoping that she wasn't seriously injured.

"You've ripped the tendon in your leg." He stated, quickly reviewing the x-rays.

"So, what does that mean?" JJ asked.

"That you won't be going into work for at least two weeks. I'm going to put you on crutches for the next month, or at least until you can walk on it without it hurting. After that, I want you to stay out of the field as much as possible for the next couple of months. After that, you should be fine."

"WHAT?!" JJ shouted, usually she kept a hold of her emotions, but _a couple of months_. She would not be able to do her job in all its fullness for a couple of months. What was she going to do for two weeks? Watch soaps? How was she going to exercise? Lauren was going to love the irony of this. To Lauren two weeks without work or exercise would be bliss, to JJ, it was purgatory.

"Now Jayje, there's no reason for you to deck the nice doctor. Don't kill the messanger. If you want to hit anyone, hit the hot Morgan sandwich--he won't feel it underneath all that muscle." Garcia tried to calm her friend.

"What am I going to do for two weeks?" JJ moaned as the doctor prescribed some pain medicine and crutches and left as quickly as he had come.

"Oh, I can find something for you to do." Morgan said suggestively.

"I think I'll be just fine thinking of something myself." JJ retorted.

* * *

JJ cursed her situation for the umpteenth time. She _hated_ crutches. She _hated _soap operas. She _hated_ that she was holed up in her new home, unable to watch anything but the basic cable she had subscribed to. Most of all_, _she _hated _that she was unable to do certain things for herself. A knock at the door elicited a large groan as it suddenly became the bane of her existence. Having to maneuver herself off the couch and hop to the door, determined to avoid the crutches as much as possible, she eventually arrived at the front door. Panting heavily, she paused before she opened the door.

"Hi JJ." Reid shifted nervously on the other side of the door as Garcia immediately entered.

"Jayje, I've got to use your little girl's room." Garcia stated and started down the hall. She had come over often throughout the last week to make sure JJ was ok, and the two had bonded quickly and deeply.

"Sure." JJ replied, and noticing the nervous man still standing outside her apartment, continued "Hi, Spence. What are you doing here?" as she opened the one door wider so he could enter. Spence remained in the entryway as though he didn't understand the invitation.

"We thought you might be lonely, and we have the next couple of days off, and I was wondering...well...if you would want to..." JJ smiled as Reid began to fidget nervously.

"If I'd want to what?" JJ asked kindly.

"Have a Star Trek marathon?" Reid looked up at her and smiled at the ecstatic look on her face. "I brought the first two franchises."

"Spencer Reid, get in here and make me some popcorn." JJ demanded. Reid quickly entered her apartment as she closed the door behind him and hopped back to the couch.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Reid asked from JJ's small kitchen, while he was looking for the popcorn.

"What?" JJ asked curiously.

"I am really glad that you are a Trekkie. It is good to not be the only one. Well, Garcia is one, kind of. But it is good to have another die hard fan." He replied gladly.

"Oh, I am glad that I can make the BAU just a little bit better for you." JJ laughed. "Spence, use the blue bowl, the yellow one isn't for popcorn." JJ knew she was a bit anal retentive, but every food item had its proper bowl. If they used the yellow one, what would she put her salad in? She would have to use the pink one and that was just too far of a departure from her system to be tolerable.

"JJ, how are you a neat freak? I have seen your office!" Garcia teased, coming out of the bathroom.

"I have a system. It may be a mess, but it is a mess with a system. I know where everything is." JJ insisted.

"Yeah, and you're the only one." Reid replied, shocked at his own joke. He didn't usually consider himself a funny person, making any humor he exhibited, surprising to himself. JJ brought out his sense of sarcasm better than anyone he had ever met.

"I believe Spencer Reid just made a joke!" Garcia teased, truthfully she was a little astounded at how different Reid could be when he was around JJ. He was almost _normal._

"Ok, let's not make fun of the gimp." JJ redirected. "Where's that Star Trek you were promising me?"

* * *

_**AN/ Thanks to everybody that reviewed! All of you reviewers have been awesome! Let me know what you think!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**_AN--This is right before "Extreme Aggressor."_**

* * *

JJ hobbled to her car early in the morning almost exactly two weeks after her injury. There was no way she was going to walk into the office on crutches. She had to bear the humiliation of being carried off the field, and she now could be back at work. There was no way she was going to use the crutches anymore. It still hurt to walk on, but it was bearable. Sliding into her front seat, she wiped away the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead.

Grimacing as she placed her foot on the gas pedal, she thought _This is going to be a long day! _She hadn't anticipated having to drive and the pressure it took on her bad leg.

Finally arriving in Quantico, her leg now throbbed unbearably. JJ had avoided all of the pain medication that the doctor had perscribed, but now would give almost anything for the pills she had failed to get from the pharmacy. She quickly bypassed security, hobbled into the elevator and got to her office as quickly as she could to be able to sit down.

* * *

Hotch was a man on a war path. The director himself had requested Gideon to come back with the team--which meant he had to do all of the clearance paperwork to get it ready. They had a case in Seattle, and while JJ was supposed to organize the arrival to the Seattle field office, she was no where to be found.

"Morgan." Hotch barked. "Find JJ. She came in today, I need her to contact the--"

"Right on it." Morgan interrupted before Hotch could list off the various assignments. He could then just tell JJ to find Hotch, so he didn't mess up the message. It was a well-known fact that JJ was never in her office, and that both she and Hotch got upset when messages weren't clearly relayed. Most often, JJ was with Garcia, looking at reports and doing most of her work in the tech's office. Other times, she was stuck in various other offices or at other agent's desks.

"Hey mama" Morgan called as he entered his friend's office, then immediately laughed as the Tech jumped in fright. "Sorry. Do you know where JJ is?"

"I think she's in her office." Garcia said, clutching her chest and panting heavily.

"How is it the one time that I don't check there, is the one time she is where she's supposed to be?"

* * *

"JJ, Hotch is looking for you." Morgan said sitting down across from her.

"Sure thing." She said without looking up as she grabbed another casefile. The piles of cases had grown astronomically in the two weeks she was gone. He noticed the significant absence of the crutches she had been on for the last two weeks.

"Where are your crutches? Don't you have to use them for two more weeks?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.

"How did you know that?" She asked disinterested.

"I was with you in the doctor's office, remember?"

"I'm fine." JJ insisted, still not looking up at him. "Don't you have better things to do?"

"Walk." Morgan commanded, ignoring her earlier response.

"What?" She asked incredulously.

"I want to see you walk. If you can do it without limping, I'll drop it. Walk."

"You're not my father." JJ retorted. "Or my brother for that matter."

"Do you want me to go get Hotch?" Morgan threated as JJ scowled in reply.

"Where are the crutches, Gimp?" Morgan continued, ignoring JJ's glare.

"Back at my house." JJ replied. "And don't call me Gimp." She commanded.

"Call Hotch, I'm taking you home."

"NO! Morgan, I have work to do. What did Hotch want?"

"He wants you to figure stuff out for the case in Seattle, but you can do that in the car. I am taking you back to get your crutches if I have to carry you. Or prove to me that you are fine." Morgan insisted folding his arms over his chest as JJ sighed. He stepped toward her, obviously calling her bluff. Knowing that she was either going to have to walk around her office or be humiliated _again_ she stood.

"Fine." She hoped for one of those moments in the movies, where last second a miracle happens. She knew it was foolish, the entire reason she was holed up in her too cramped office that gave off weird vibes was because she had tried this earlier. She knew that this would likely lead to another embarrassing fiasco as Morgan carried her down the stairs, like some frail, little woman, but she still hoped. So, taking a deep breath, she went to take her first step. It hurt, not bad enough for her to grimace or groan, but it still hurt. She could do this, she could. Keeping her face completely controlled, she knew she really could do this. She had made it from her house to work without collapsing on the ground. This was nothing. Morgan would have to eat his words, and then...

_Humph!_

JJ racked her brain for any excuse for why she just fell. She had made it all the way here! Why, when Morgan was doubting her ability to walk, did she have to fall now? JJ was angry with karma, Zeus, Buddah, or who ever way up there decided that now was the time to cause JJ to fall. She had been fine for days, and now, of all times, her leg failed her. She was so consumed with her current thoughts of religious mutany that she only remembered Morgan's threat when she felt herself get lifted in his muscular arms.

"Morgan, really. I just tripped...I..." JJ began to protest but Morgan just shook his head and started to walk her out of her office.

"MORGAN! I AM FINE" JJ begged for a release, but Morgan just smiled.

"JJ, a deal is a deal. Sorry sweet stuff, but your getting carried." Morgan laughed. JJ angrily attempted to squirm and release herself from his clutches.

"You're going to be like that? Fine!" He said with finality as he swept her over his shoulder--her belly resting on his shoulder and her legs dangling in the air with his strong arm around her waiste. Struggle as she might, she was not getting free. _Luckily, I wore a pantsuit today._ JJ thought. Her leg had bruised deeply, and she had worn pants today to cover up the ugliness.

JJ watched as her co-workers gaped at her through the door of the BAU. She saw Hotch smiling to himself, and Reid with a strange look on his face. It looked like he was jealous. JJ sighed to herself. She wanted him to be jealous, but that didn't make it a reality. _He probably is just surprised._ She had to remind herself. It was no use hoping for snow in July. Somethings just wouldn't ever be the way she wanted them.

As the elevator door opened, JJ was relieved when she saw no one was in there. _Good, less people to witness how pathetic I am._ JJ mused. Now, she was just going to have to get out of his arms.

"Morgan, will you please put me down? I really will be alright." JJ tried sweetly but to no avail.

"Nope." Morgan smiled.

"I will just go home by myself, I promise I will stay off my leg."

"Please honey, you've wanted me to take you home since you met me. Here I am, sweeping you off your feet, and you want to go home alone? Nope, I am a profiler, I know what you want. You want me." Morgan teased as JJ slapped him lightly on the chest. JJ hadn't anticipated how strong Morgan was. It hurt her worse than it even phased him. As JJ held her pained hand, the elevator door opened and a young training agent entered.

"Hi." The young woman smiled brightly to Morgan, completely ignoring JJ who lay trapped in his arms.

"Hi." Morgan replied. He was nothing if not a gentleman, but this was an attractive woman, and if she wanted to flirt with him, he would be all over it!

"So, seems like quite the load you are carrying." The girl remarked. JJ wanted to hit her. _Quite the load? Is she really calling me fat? _JJ carefully calmed herself, not that anyone noticed because Morgan was all over this girl.

"She isn't anything I can't handle." Morgan told the girl with what, JJ suspected, his trademark glint in his eye. JJ scoffed loudly, she could not believe this was happening.

"Do you think you could handle me?" The girl asked seductively. All JJ could do was roll her eyes at the young brunette, though they couldn't see her.

"Depends sweetheart, I am Derek Morgan." Morgan replied, JJ could hear him turning on his winning smile. _I can't believe he's going to score as I dangle in mid-air!_

"Nicole Barker." The young woman said extending her hand. JJ was now getting angry. Did this chick not see that Morgan was carrying her? If she was such a big load, then how was Morgan supposed to shake this girl's hand without dropping her? And did it seriously not bother this girl that Morgan seemed to be busy?

"So, do you have a phone number Nicole Barker?" Morgan asked, playing the situation to the best of his ability. JJ, while disgusted, was just grateful he hadn't dropped her. She decided that a distracted Morgan could equate to her breaking free, so she tried to squirm out of Morgan's grips. But, Morgan just grasped her more tightly.

"Sorry Blondie, you are not going anywhere." He insisted, and returned to his conversation with the young agent.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the elevator opened and they were in the parking garage. Morgan bade his farewells to Nicole, leaving with her number. He easily walked JJ to one of the many black, FBI issued, SUVs. Finally Morgan placed her in the vehicle, and she felt that her embarassment was at least marginally complete. Or that she could at least sink low into the seat and pretend no one saw her.

After driving in silence, other than Morgan's occasional question for directions, and JJ quickly making the travel and other arrangements for the team.

"Why'd we take the Bureau SUV?" JJ asked breaking the silence.

Morgan answered simply, "I need to go to meet up with Hotch after I drop you off."

"Oh." _That made sense, _"For the strangler in Seattle?"

"Yup, and you are missing out. Gideon is actually coming." Morgan mused.

"That should be nice." JJ said, she really liked Gideon and was a little sad that she didn't get to work with him yet.

"Or dangerous. You never know what people with PTSD will do."

"What does he have to say about him being in the field?" JJ asked just as Morgan pulled up in front of her comples. As far as she knew Gideon had been somewhat relieved not to be in the field everyday.

"He doesn't know yet, we sent Reid to soften him up, but Hotch and I are going to have to tell him that he is going to Seattle. He's going to chat with him after he finishes teaching his class, so that means we have 25 minutes...which is just enough time to get to you upstairs and back." Morgan concluded.

* * *

"No, Morgan! You have already humiliated me in front of all my coworkers, you do not get to do it in front of my neighbors too." JJ told him as he opened her door and tried to pick her up again.

"JJ, I am doing you a service. You could try this crazy little thing called gratitiude." Morgan teased and then added, "but we still have ten minutes before I have to leave, you could _show_ me your appreciation."

JJ scoffed at his innuendo. "Morgan, I can walk. And as for appreciation, I will make you muffins. That is the most you are ever going to get from me." She said, swatting his arms as he fought to lift her out of the car.

"JJ, just think of how painful it will be to walk up those stairs. Your leg is screaming for you to let me carry you." Morgan replied in mawk sincerity.

"Morgan, seriously, the last thing I need now is my nieghbors asking me about the dark, mysterious man who carried me over my threshold. I will walk. Even if I have to kick you in the knee. I will walk." JJ threatened.

"Bring it on Barbie! You are a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter than me. A strong wind could whip your sorry butt, so you kicking me is not scary at all." Morgan taunted.

"But I have a gun!" JJ retorted with out thinking. "And I played soccer, I have strong legs."

"Until Reid got to them!" Morgan said, grabbing JJ in his arms easily. JJ understood that Morgan had only debated with her out of pity, and his desire to antagonize her. Every day she was around him, he became more and more like her brother. In fact, he antagonized her better than Jared ever had, though Brayden still was far in the lead.

"So, there's not any chance I can bribe you to put me down?" JJ asked, resigned that she wasn't going anywhere.

"Nope. At least not with _money._" They both laughed, knowing that anything he said was just to put her at ease. Finally arriving at her apartment, he refused to put her down, instead taking the keys from her and opening her front door while she still lay in his arms. Entering her condo, JJ was beyond thrilled when Morgan deposited her on her couch.

"You stay here. Hotch told me that you aren't supposed to come back until your leg is _really_ better." Morgan insisted, and turned to leave.

"Wait!" JJ called after him, suddenly enlightened. "How am I supposed to get my car?"

"Hah! Good question! I'll send you Garcia after she gets off. But that was the point."

"You JERK!" JJ yelled after him.

"Yeah, come and get me." Morgan darted down the stairs and to his SUV.

* * *

**_AN/ I know there is not a lot of JJ and Reid in this one, but I really liked the interaction between JJ and Morgan. And since I am writing it, that is what there will be if I feel like it. _**


	8. Chapter 8

JJ had the most unusual dream. It was about her and Reid. It wasn't a sex dream or anything remotely like that. In her dream, her and Reid were at the super market and were having a huge fight over dish soap. For some reason, JJ had to have the orange kind and Reid was not letting her get it. She was admant about the orange soap and he kept on telling her no. She could not understand why this was a big deal, but it was. It took her a moment to realize that in this dream, her and Spence were married, although all the signs were there. They were wearing wedding rings, he kept on calling her 'honey', but JJ didn't comprehend that they were together until Reid started rubbing her stomach. At first, she thought it was odd, and then it hit her. She was pregnant with Spence's baby. At that moment, she woke up on her couch, and someone was knocking on the door.

JJ blushed to herself. She had enjoyed being the fake Mrs. Reid much more than she'd like to admit. JJ silently got up to answer the door cursing her injured leg. It had been three days since Morgan had left her stranded at her own home. As she opened the door she saw the familiar face of Penelope Garcia. Garcia had come over the day before yesterday after work to check on JJ, and bring JJ's car back. The pair had a movie night that had turned out to be a lot more fun than either woman had anticipated, so they had agreed to do something tonight as well. JJ suddenly remembered their plans and hoped that all of her dishes were clean.

"Hey Garcia." JJ said with a weak smile. She was still fighting the fatigue that followed waking up, and had no idea if she was being coherant.

"Hey baby cakes, I brought ice cream which I know you won't eat, so I also brought grape 'Healthy choice, low calorie, low sugar, low fat, popsicles', which basically sounds like an NutraSweet fest, but it was the best I could do under your insane diet restrictions. One day you will fall off the band wagon, my friend, and discover all the foods that you have been denying your skinny, little butt. And when that great and terrible day comes, no person will be safe from your sweet tooth." Gracia teased, letting herself in and plopping the ice cream and popsicles in the freezer.

"Thanks Penelope! This should be great!" JJ lied. Normally, JJ would not even touch food containing aspertame, let alone eat it. But she was touched by her friend's consideration and promised herself that she would eat at least one of the popsicles, even if she had to choke it down.

"So, wanna hear the scoop? Apparently, our humble team is getting a new agent. She is working with the guys in Seattle, they LOVE her. I hear she has already applied for the job, so this whole case kind of seals the deal." Garcia gossiped happily. Penelope was just euphoric that the BAU girl's club was growing. For a few months she had been the only estrogen containing member of the team, so when JJ came, she was thrilled. Now, with another girl, it was bound to be an even bigger party than before. Then she added as an after thought, "Want to google her?"

"YES!" JJ replied immeadiatly, helping Garcia set up her lap top. Garcia's fingers flew over the keypad.

"Now I haven't met this girl, I just hear she's good at what she does. Ok. I'm in. We've got google and our trusty FBI personnel files. Elle Greenaway. 35. 5'9''. Hmm, Nothing good there."

"Oooh, what's that? Highest number of cases solved in Seattle? That's impressive."

"Yeah, three years running. You go girl!"

"Looks like she specializes in sex offender cases." JJ pointed out as she read over Garcia's shoulder. "That'll be good, I can quit giving all of those consults to Agent Blackenfield. I really don't like him." JJ mused.

"Really? Why?" Garcia asked interested, momentarily forgetting her mission in uncovering the dirt on their newest member.

"He's creepy. He tried to ask me out and he always checks me out when I walk by. It's a subtle hint that I give him all the sex offender cases." JJ acknowledged.

"Speaks Spanish, that's cool." JJ changed the subject as Garcia went back to uncovering the mystery of their future coworker.

"Yeppers, and lets look at her file---ooh! Says here she's 'impatient'. That is going to conflict with the boss man and all of his rules." Garcia pointed out as she began eating ice cream from the carton. JJ immediately turned to her in horror.

"That is absolutely disgusting. Get a bowl!" JJ commanded authoritatively.

Garcia laughed. "Honey, you ain't never lived. Ok, which bowl should I use?" She asked, knowing that her friend was a little over the top with her organization.

"Umm, Lauren used to use the green one, so go with that." JJ suggested as Garcia laughed to herself.

"JJ, when do you use your regular bowls?" Garcia asked suddenly from the kitchen. All of JJ's dishes were organized by size and color (ranging from purple to red) with black and white on the ends. She noticed the large neat stack of white bowls.

"Holidays." JJ replied as though it were completely obvious.

"I know I already asked this but why is this place sterile and your office looks like a nuclear war-zone?" Garcia questioned as she opened another cabinet. This one was full of Tupperware, all stacked neatly with the lids color-coded to how they fit with the containers. On each lid was written neatly in Sharpie 'If found, please return to Jennifer Jareau, 845-9388'. Garcia couldn't help but laugh as she thought to herself _So, JJ was one of those people._

"Because I have a system. My office may not look clean, because of the files, but I know where everything is. The problem is that I am too busy at work to keep up an organization schema, here I am at perfect liberty to." JJ said with a small sense of pride at her organized home.

Garcia was still searching JJ's kitchen. She opened the silverware drawer in disgust, all of it was matching and stacked neatly. She opened another cupboard, just to discover all of JJ's baking supplies stacked neatly by size and shape. Nothing fell out as it would in a normal kitchen, it all stayed there in its mock superiority. Garcia had it, she checked JJ's measuring cups, all of which were there and--surprise, surprise--matched. In a moment of desperation, Garcia checked out JJ's recipe cards, all of which were alphabetized and sorted by which course of meal it was.

Just then Garcia was hit with a wonderful and cruel plan for her OCD friend. She quietly tiptoed over to the cabinet holding the bowls, and switched the colors. Red and Yellow were together for the first time and it was a magical experience. She mixed orange and white. When blue and pink got together, it was a whole new ball game. Penelope did not stop until she was sure that the cupboard looked like a collaboration of colors intermingled with each other.

"What are you doing in there?" JJ asked. She had been in the kitchen for five minutes to find a bowl that should be right in its place. _This is not her first time here, she should have found it by now._JJ thought to herself, oblivious to what her friend was doing. She decided to get up and see what Garcia was up to, just then the eccentric blonde ran out of the kitchen and sat down on the couch.

"Let's get this movie going!" Garcia exclaimed, turning on the TV. She could not have JJ see the cabinet until she was safe at home, where JJ couldn't kill her.

* * *

It had been two weeks since JJ had been carried caveman style out of the FBI headquarters, and her leg felt fine. Hotch had told her come in the next week, but the second she heard about Gideon and the foot path killer, she decided she could do without the last few days of sick leave. She had tried to be cleared for the field, but had been warned if she was coming back before the doctor recommended, she would be doing her desk job. _No field work!_They had said to JJ's dismay. She eventually relented, not wanting to miss more than she already had. Two weeks and already Gideon almost died and the new girl was starting. She could not miss anymore work. So, when she saw the busy atmosphere of the BAU, she felt like she was home again. She quickly went into her office. _Yep, it is still a mess, _JJ concluded.

She saw the sickening stack of case files and consultations that she needed to give out to her fellow agents. She had a lot of work to do to catch up with her piles of paperwork. JJ's phone began to ring as an omen of the day she was about to have.

"Agent Jareau"

* * *

"Bye, Sir." JJ bade farewell. The call was about fires at Bradshaw College in Tempe, AZ. Her first day back, and she had to present a case. She laughed at the irony that yesterday she would have given anything to get back to work, and now, she would give anything to go home. Forwarding the video to Hotch, she knew this was going to be a bad one.

JJ decided that if she had to go talk to Hotch, she might as well meet the girl, Elle, and give her a few files, just to get Greenaway warmed up. It also didn't hurt that she would get to see Reid for the first time since she had taken her sick leave. She was even starting to miss Morgan, whom she still hadn't forgiven for stranding her at her house without her car.

She walked up to the bullpen just as Elle said "I am ready for a challenge."

"Good because these go to you." JJ interrupted quickly, dropping the woman's files on her desk with a thud. "Special Agent Jennifer Jareau, JJ if you like." She introduced herself. Flaunting to Morgan that she was now walking just fine, she continued to stand.

"Elle."

"Greenaway. Highest number of solved cases in Seattle 3 years running. Specialty in sex offender cases." JJ immediately thought that she probably shouldn't reveal how much she knew about the newest agent, but evidently her slip had surprised the other woman. There was no going back now.

"Not bad." Elle remarked, a little impressed.

"Well, I'm the Unit Liaison, my specialty is untangling bureaucratic knots. You'll probably be talking to me a lot --My door is always open, mostly because I'm never in my office." JJ started walking towards Hotch's office when he began walking toward her. She smiled to herself as she thought of the truth of that statement. "So call me on my cell. Okay? We'll talk." She could feel Morgan's eyes on her, evaluating each step she took.

"Did you watch it?" JJ asked Hotch quickly.

"Yeah, I think everybody needs to see it."

The briefing for the team went quickly. JJ regretted that her injury kept her from being able to assist the team, but did as much as she could from Virginia. After far too much stress and the feeling of inability to help, JJ decided to call the one person who could cheer her up. She pushed the first number on her speed dial, and waited for it to ring.

"Cawfield, how can I help you?" Lauren said annoyed. JJ knew Lauren was working on a particularly difficult case. Lauren was normally bubbley on the phone to whomever she was talking to, unless she was upset.

"Hey, Its me. Did you see my very first press conference back at work?" Lauren chuckled.

"No. I must have missed one of your beautiful press debuts."

"Well, do you know how many people called me today with absolute certainty that our arsonist is a firefighter?"

"Oh no!" Lauren moaned, laughing.

"I'm like, 'Yeah, I saw Factor'." Seeing Garcia's waving hand JJ knew she had to quickly end the call.

"Uh, let me call you right back."

"This came on to the hotline about 5 minutes ago" Garcia informed JJ, tapping her keys as the voice-over message came on speaker. "_You have reached the FBI tip hotline for the Bradshaw College fires...BEEP...Karen, I do this for Karen" _The voice of the unsub was distorted to the point where its words were pratically inaudible.

"Karen?" JJ asked confused, as Garcia called the team to tell them about the news.

* * *

She went back to her office to get back to work, looking through tiplines, calling those related to the victims. But, there wasn't much she could do to help this case. Finally, sick of the depressing aura her office held, she decided to go back to and talk to Garcia. When she walked in, she heard her friend groaning loudly.

"What's the matter?" JJ questioned laughing lightly.

"I am going to have a night of passionate love making with Reid, according to Morgan." Garcia said, feigning disappointment. JJ knew Garcia was teasing, but before she could stop herself she felt herself speaking.

"Reid is a great guy. Any girl would be way too lucky to have him." JJ reprimanded, stopping instantly. She was letting her little obsession get out of hand, and it needed to stop. She began to feel the blood rushing to her cheeks.

"He may even be good, its always the sweet, silent types that surprise you." Garcia merely replied, not noticing her blushing friend.

"Um....yeah!" JJ answered quickly, and ran out of the office.

* * *

"JJ... JJ...wake up" JJ heard as she felt someone nudging her.

"Go away!" She muttered feebly, swatting the arm that was invading her personal space.

"JJ, it is almost midnight, you should go home." The voice said authoritatively, the voice that she soon recognized as Hotch's. This startled her out of her semi-conscious state completely.

"Oh, I am so sorry sir, I will just go." JJ quickly responded, scurrying to find the files she needed to take home.

"It's really alright, I've fallen asleep at my desk before. I think everyone in the FBI has." Hotch told her, laughing slightly.

"So, the case! Did you get the arsonist?" She asked in an obvious attempt to deflect the conversation so she could wipe the drool from her mouth.

"Yeah, her name was Clara Hayes." Hotch began to tell her before she interrupted him.

"Her? It was a girl? That is far from precedent." JJ remarked.

"Sometimes standard profiles don't work in a particular situation, this was one of those times. Clara has extreme Over-Compulisve disorder, she thought that by starting these fires, she was somehow testing people for God. She was shot in the arrest, she is in critical condition, but should pull through."

JJ nodded quietly. "Well, I am glad you got your guy, or girl in this case. See you tomorrow." JJ said after a moment of awkward silence. Hotch got up and walked out of her office. JJ could not believe that Hotch walked in on her sleeping only weeks after he walked in on her crying. Her boss was seriously going to start wondering what JJ did during the day.

* * *

**_AN/I hope you liked it. Parts are direct quotes from 'Compulsion', no I don't own Criminal Minds, but I do like ice cream._**


	9. Chapter 9

**_AN/Again, I got kind of stuck, but I think it turned out well. Let me know what you think!_**

"Hello...."JJ answered her ringing cell phone groggily. She couldn't figure out for the life of her who would be calling her at 5:30 am. Silently deciding to unleash her technical wiz friend to obliterate the existence of whomever decided to inflict this type of torture, she pulled herself out of the fog of sleep.

"Hey Pumpkin, its Dad. I was wondering if you remembered to take off next Monday..." JJ laughed to herself. Of course it was her father! He had grown up on a farm and didn't understand that people sometimes slept in past dawn. Besides, he had called her almost every day the past two weeks to remind her of this party.

"For Jared's homecoming." JJ finished. "Yes, Dad, I remembered. I will be there around eight in the morning to help decorate, I'll even be able to stay the week."

"Aw, thanks, Pumpkin. Alright, See you then."

"Bye Dad." JJ grunted. She had to wake up for work in half an hour, and couldn't justify going back to sleep. With that said, there was no way she was getting out of bed. So JJ decided to just lay there and contemplate what she would have to do that day.

First, when she got to work she had to talk to Elle, who didn't turn in her paperwork for the day before. She was slightly dreading having to lay down the law with the new girl, but she did not have much of a choice. She knew that Elle didn't seem to like her immediately, which was totally ok. Elle had stolen JJ's coffee mug on her second day, and JJ was still trying to release the grudge she knew she shouldn't be holding.

Second, she needed to plot with Garcia and Morgan about Spence's birthday party. He was turning 24 on Wednesday and JJ wanted to make it special. He had told her that the last birthday present he got was from his mother when he turned nine and she gave him a Star Trek lunchbox. If there was anything she could do to give the well deserving genius a good birthday, then she would do whatever was in her power.

Third, she had to plan the star-trek marathon that her and Spence were going to have either that night or the next, depending on whether they had a case or not. They had invited Garcia, but she was not entirely sure whether she would come or not. Apparently she had plans or something. JJ could not comprehend the meaning of the word since her move to Washington. She had gone on a few dates with guys that didn't matter and sometimes drove up to Baltimore to see Lauren and her other friends, but with Lauren being completely devoted to 'Perfect Paul', she had spent more and more time hanging out with her coworkers. She shuttered at the thought that she was actually becoming accustomed to Phil's bar and the girls Morgan picked up there. Last time, she hadn't even bothered learning the girl's name, knowing the temporary status the girl held.

Her ringing cell phone stopped her planning session, seeing an unfamiliar number and anticipating another call from yet another desperate detective.

"Agent Jareau." She answered sighing, reluctantly contemplating exiting her bed. "A bomb?" She asked. "Alright, We'll be in touch."

JJ smothered the pillow over her face. "It is way to early for this." She groaned loudly to herself.

* * *

JJ went immediately to her office, and began setting up point of contact with all of the local media. Declining to comment, and referring all questions to a press conference that JJ was certain she'd be having, she monitored national news coverage. If these bombs went national, she'd be advising Homeland Security about terror alerts, which is something she always tried to avoid. People didn't need anything more to panic about than their own lives. Suddenly seeing the coverage flood the internet and airwaves, she lept from her desk to alert the others of the most recent developments. _This does not look good_.

She shook her head in amusement. _Why bombs?_ She asked herself. The team _still_ hadn't completely recovered and it had been almost a year since the events that happened in Boston with Adrian Bale. Gideon had just gotten back, couldn't they give her team a break?

Running into the conference room where the team was set up, she said simply "We've got news." Switching the flat screen TV to a local channel, she continued "This is just a local channel, but the coverage is everywhere now. CNN. Fox. MSNBC Al-jazeer. You name it." She shook her head as the local reporter continued to give details of the crimes. _These guys can never make my job easy. _She thought to herself as the others continued to discuss the media's influence on propelling the terror alert further.

Hotch told her to contact Homeland security to alert them. JJ did not look forward to that, since the only contact she had at DHS was some creep that always tried to ask her out. Just as she was leaving the room she was interrupted as they watched a third bomb explode in front of them.

"Woah." JJ replied in shock, then mentally cursing her stupid remark. She didn't need to hear Hotch's command that they were headed to Palm Beach--she was already getting clearing for the takeoff.

* * *

"Hey Spence, are you ok?" JJ asked quietly as they sat across from each other on the plane. They had just taken off and Hotch wouldn't start the briefing until they had at least reached 3500 ft, so she knew their conversation would not be interrupted.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Spence replied, fidgiting with his hands.

"I mean, I know that this case must--"

"Bring up memories of what happened in Boston? Yeah. But I wasn't there." He said, his voice filled with contempt. "Sarah was my friend, and when she needed me, I wasn't there." Spence finished softly.

"Look, I understand--"

"JJ, please. Just leave it alone, we just need to find the unsub." Spence instructed. JJ relented, knowing that sometimes people needed to handle their emotions alone. She stood to get coffee, and was surprisingly angered when Elle stealing JJ's seat next to Reid. Instead of sitting on one of the many other seats, she stood in the back--almost signaling her anger at the lost seat.

* * *

"Hey little lady, you look lost. What's a pretty little thing like you doing down here in the big precinct." A young uniformed officer approached her as she entered the Palm Beach precinct.

"Look. I really don't have time for this. Not interested. Now, let's just forget about this, and you can tell me where Detective Morrison is." JJ turned on him. She wanted to get this case over with as soon as possible, for the mental health of her team.

"I'm Detective Morrison." An older plain clothes man came up to her from behind a desk.

"Agent Jareau. Where can I set up?" She asked, her arms were full of file boxes that she had retrieved from the ATF agents and was sure that there would be plenty more files for the team to sift through.

"Um. Over there, but are you sure you don't want to--" He pointed to a room behind his desk as JJ breezed past him.

"I'm going to need lots of coffee for when the other team members arrive, they're waiting for you at the Klerman's." JJ interrupted before she entered the interrogation room without looking back.

_Now, that's a girl who knows what she wants._ Detective Morrison thought fondly as he grabbed the keys to his car.

* * *

Today was one of those days where JJ wanted to have the ability to travel back in time. If she could do that, she would have punched Lauren in the face and prevented her from ever applying for JJ to this unit. JJ's phone was ringing incessantly, and with having to schedule the jet for Gideon's flight to visit the notorious Bale, JJ was ready to blow something up herself--most preferably her cell phone.

Walking back into the precinct after telling a reporter in no uncertain terms that he could_ not_have a personal interview with any of the team members, JJ approached Detective Morrison. She had been so busy she hadn't even been able to listen in on the profile, but she was certain that Hotch would brief her later.

"Detective Morrison, how's it going?" JJ asked, looking down as she got another message. Smiling at this one, she saw it was from her father. _'Do you think we should have dinner or lunch at this party?' _His text read. Not particularly listening to the detective--listening just enough to see if he was having problems, she replied to her dad's message, telling him to do whatever he wanted. "Ok, if you need anything let us know." She instructed.

She burst into the conference room where Elle and Hotch were seated, pouring over financial documents for all three victims. "How are we doing?" She asked, furiously declining yet another opportunity to comment about the pending investigation.

"Frustrated." Elle admitted, causing JJ to look up. "I can't see why anyone would want to kill a little old lady who collects cats and coins." Elle moaned, sounding suspiciously to JJ like complaining.

"Unless somebody wanted the coins. I spent a good chunk of my childhood looking for a 1944 penny worth thousands." JJ looked at him in surprise, although the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she wasn't surprised. It kind of reminded her of her own collecting habits as a child. She was about to say something when Hotch continued.

"Yes, I was a little bit of a nerd. Is that so surprising?"

"Not to me." Elle responded, causing JJ to smirk, although she felt a little odd allowing the newest member of their team to make fun of Hotch. She wasn't sure why she felt protective of the stoic unit chief, but she did.

A call from Morgan disrupted the gentle teasing, calling her to the press conference she knew was coming. Hopefully she could help save some lives before more people got hurt.

"Okay, I will set up a press conference, make sure the public knows." JJ said, striding out of the room.

* * *

"Ugh...A potential terror alert, all because Walker was forging coins, it is ridiculous. I woke up early...FOR THIS!" JJ whined as she plopped down by Reid, the team had watched their unsub blow himself up, but had managed to save the poor man that had a bomb strapped to him.

"I know, I hate the part of the job where you realize these people will kill for almost no reason." Reid mused, edging closer to the window to make room for the liaison. He smiled as he got a small whiff of her shampoo, lavender and vanilla. He loved the way she smelled, always resisting the urge to pull her close so he could smell her golden hair. Reid knew that JJ was out of his league, he had gone to bars with her often enough to see his competition.

JJ saw the resingned look that Reid gave her and inaccurately assumed that he was just dealing with the difficult similarities between Florida and Boston. She decided that she would do something to cheer him up. "Hey Spence, do you want to come over to my place after we land, we can have our 'Star Trek' marathon." JJ tried to persuade the genius, giving him her best, winning smile.

"I don't know JJ, it might be late and we have work in the morning and..." Reid began, he didn't how smooth he would be with out Garcia. He was still getting use to speaking with the beautiful woman with people watching, he did not want to be completely awkward alone with her. Spencer did not want his crush to think he was a loser.

"Come on Spence! I will even let you eat popcorn in the purple bowl. We can have it be a day before birthday celebration! It will be the perfect way to welcome in your 24th birthday!" JJ promised, not taking no for an answer. She gave a small puppy face, hoping it had the same effect on Reid that it had on the boys back in Maryland.

"Fine, but I am going home before midnight." Spencer relented, unable to resist the pout on JJ's face. JJ smiled instantly and clapped her hands.

"We are going to have a lot of fun, just you wait."

* * *

Fourteen episodes later, it was 2 am before Reid decided that he needed to go.

"JJ, really, I need to go home now. If I don't, there is no way I will be on time for work." Reid told her, grabbing his keys from her coffee table.

"Spence, Happy Birthday." JJ wished him. They had been watching the episode Dr. Crusher falls in love with an injured alien when Spence's watch alerted them that it was officially his birthday.

"Thank you JJ." He said graciously, reaching for the door knob.

"Oh! Before I forget!" JJ exclaimed, running into her bedroom. Spencer could here her rummage through a few things before she returned, holding a large, blue birthday hat that closely resembled a cake. "You have to promise me that you will wear this to work."

"JJ, come on...." Reid tried to negotiate before she interrupted him.

"Nu-uh Dr. Reid, you wear the hat or else I will go out and buy another one, and make Morgan force you to wear it." JJ insisted.

"Night JJ." Reid said shutting the door behind him.

"Night Reid, wear the hat!" JJ yelled after him.

* * *

**_AN/ Well, I hope you liked it, hopfully the next chapter will be coming soon, but I make no promises :)_**

**_AN2/Again, I encourage everyone to read this awesome story 'The Ties That Bind', it's really good ;)_**


	10. Chapter 10

**_AN/Thanks so much to everybody that has reviewed or alerted or even just read happily this story. _**

* * *

JJ awoke with the utmost clarity the next morning. It was Reid's birthday, and she was going to make it memorable. She mentally made a checklist for all the things she had to do for his party. At the BAU, they normally didn't make a big deal about birthdays, but with Spence, it was an entirely different story. She had people from other units coming up to her, asking JJ to tell Reid a happy birthday for them. She had to make his cake, and had to find a way to switch the ridiculous trick candles Morgan had bought for the occassion.

JJ resigned herself to get ready for work quickly, pampering herself by wearing a dress that she loved, but didn't wear often. When she was ready, she went to her kitchen and pulled out her supplies, grateful that Reid hadn't pulled a Garcia last night, and switched around her organized kitchen. "_This is going to be good.." _JJ thought to herself, silently hoping Spence liked chocolate. The recipe for the cake was a simple one, one not needing her full mental attention to work out perfectly. She thought for a moment about Spencer, and how it seemed completely platonic. JJ was not cocky, but she usually had a fair amount of control over the guys she liked. Reid didn't even seem to notice that she was a girl.

Putting the batter in the pan, she put the cake in the pre-heated oven and began making her home-made frosting. JJ, realizing she had a thirty minutes before the cake would be done and she could frost it, decided to call Lauren. She dialed the familar number and waited for her friend to pick up.

"Cawfield, work doesn't start for another hour so what do you want." Lauren said over the reciever.

"Laur, its me, JJ. Do you usually answer your phone like that?" JJ teased. "What if it had been your boss?"

"I work in Missing Persons for a reason, unless we have an on going case, I work normal hours. Since we do not have case going as of yet, they have no reason, nor right to call me before it starts."

"What is with the crankiness? You are usually a semi-happy person, what happened?" JJ joked.

"Late night with Perfect Paul, great at the time, but the morning after sucks." Lauren informed her.

"Yeah, I understand, I had a late night too." JJ said, priming her friend.

"WITH WHO? WHAT HAPPENED? TELL ME EVERYTHING!" Lauren shrieked excitedly, JJ knew this was because Lauren was afraid of JJ's lack of a social life in DC.

"Spence, but it wasn't anything like that, we just had a 'Star Trek' marathon." JJ admitted sheepishly. While she wished she could tell her friend something more romantic, this was the best she could do.

"Why you playing with my emotions Barbie? Well, how was it? Did Luke find out who his father is?" Lauren replied, completely disintrested.

"That's 'Star Wars', and it went fine, nothing special. Well, except that it is Reid's birthday today so I am in the process of making him a cake." JJ told her.

"A cake? That's kinda romantic."

"No, it is a completely friendly gesture. I promise." JJ informed her friend.

"You never made anyone besides me a cake at MPU, and that's only because I lived with you and would force you to make me one." Lauren reminded her. JJ remembered Lauren's birthday last year, where Lauren set JJ's alarm for 4:30 in the morning and left the cake ingreadiants out. JJ had no choice but to make the cake.

"Because no one needed a cake." JJ lied unconvincingly, then deciding to try again added, "Hey, I am turning over a new leaf, one of cake making."

"Sure, and you are also now trying to fight world hunger. Not to mention single-handedly fighting teenage pregnancy." Lauren teased. "You _like_ him."

"No...I am just...He doesn't have any family near here and I am being a good friend!" JJ said, trying to defend herself.

"No, you are a being a good girlfriend. Face it, you do not need to be a profiler to understand that your cake equals love!" Lauren yelled, "Hey, when you two have babies are they going to play soccer or are they going to go to college when they are 7?"

"HE WAS 12!"

"You're smart too. It will make your little Reid and JJ children even more brilliant." Lauren rebuted quickly.

"We aren't going to..." JJ started but stopped as she heard the buzzer going off. "Hold that thought, the cake is done. Bye Lauren...and by the way, I do not love Reid." JJ affirmed her friend.

"Bye JJ, give Reid a kiss for me. Or for you, whichever as long as you give him one." When JJ heard this, all she could do was shake her head, why did her best friend have to be insane?

Getting the cake out of the oven, she put it on the counter and began to frost after it was cool enough. "_If I am doing this, he better be wearing the hat." _JJ thought to herself. Grateful that her Aunt Susan had taught her cake decorating, and pleased with the professional look the cake had, she began debating whether to write 'Happy Birthday Spence', 'Happy Birthday Ried', or 'Happy Birthday Spencer Reid.' On the one hand, she wanted to make it personal. But, she worked with a bunch of profilers, and if she used a term of endearment, she would never hear the end of it. Calling him by his full name seemed cold, but calling him by his first name was out of the question. _"Fine. Happy Birthday Reid." _She decided. _"Now, do I write in all capitals, or not?"_

* * *

She walked into the BAU only ten minutes before everyone else on her team. She had gone out and purchased the Star Trek animated series, knowing that was the only one Reid didn't currently own. She was currently debating whether or not to have the team sign a card as part of her gift or let it be solely from her. She saw Hotch and Gideon enter their respective offices, but was too busy in thought to acknowledge them. Unfortunately it was Garcia's day off, so she wasn't going to be any help for this party.

"Nuh-uh girl, we get to use my candles." Morgan surprised her from behind as he began placing and lighting the twenty four trick candles.

"Morgan these candles are so immature, lets act like adults." JJ tried to persuade.

"I bet you won't even let him try for thirty seconds before you save him from embarrassment." Morgan teased her, finishing lighting the candles and watching them spark.

"Alright, you are on!" JJ told him competitively, while she stacked the multi-colored cups onto Reid's desk.

Elle and Reid entered simultaneously, Reid holding in his hands the birthday hat that she had made him promise to wear.

"Spence! What did I tell you about the hat?" JJ teased as Morgan ran up to him, grabbed the hat forcefully and jammed it on his head.

"You're going to be having fun!" Elle commanded, catching on to the party. While she didn't know before hand it was Reid's birthday, she was after all a profiler.

"Ok, let's sing." Morgan commanded.

"Oh, no. I've heard your singing. You can just blow out the candles." JJ shot a triumphant glare at Morgan.

"Make a wish!" JJ encouraged to Reid.

"Ok, fine!" Morgan said, as Reid breathed in, "Come on man, Blow baby, blow."

"I thought you were full of hot air, Reid." Elle teased.

"Come on Reid!" Morgan bellowed, nudging JJ, who was counting the seconds until she could inform him about the candles, she decided to quit at eight.

"They're trick candles Spence, ok, they're gonna come back on everytime."

"Oh, Mommy to the rescue." Morgan taunted, shoving JJ slightly while he pulled on Reid's hat.

"Mommy?" Reid said, slightly offended. JJ shot Morgan her best death glare, reserved only for ex-boyfriends and her brothers.

"Ignore him." Elle assured him, trying to be nice on Reid's birthday.

"He wishes he could." Morgan said proudly.

"Its not hard, I do it all the time." Elle shot back.

Deciding he did not like the shoe being on the other foot, he called, "Hey Reid, does this make you legal yet?"

"What does it matter, half the girls you date aren't?" JJ spewed angrily. Resigning herself to remember that Morgan was not worth it, she came forward to cut the cake. "Hope you like chocolate." She said, bending forward to take out the candles. Elle did the same, and Reid looked confused and worried. He got up to talk to Gideon.

JJ accidently dropped a flamming candle, "Ops," She said quickly grabbing it before she set something on fire.

"You couldn't even make it fifteen seconds." Morgan mused at JJ.

"I did too." JJ lied.

"Whatever, that was like four seconds."

"It was eight. Shut up, trick candles was a stupid idea anyway." JJ responded as she cut the cake. She shoveled a nicely sliced piece onto a blue plate and called over to Reid. "Hey Spence, first piece for the birthday boy!"

She saw as Reid turned to Gideon and whispered something to the Senior Agent before he came over to the desk. JJ grew impatient, "Spence,get over here, hurry, Morgan is already eating."

"Birthday boy." Morgan addressed Reid. "JJ, why don't you feed it to him?" Morgan gave a knowing look to the blonde, apparently her crush was not as secret as she would have liked.

JJ had never wanted to kick Morgan as much as she had at that moment. Before she could think of a witty come back, Hotch yelled over to them.

"Sorry guys, party's over." JJ gave the team members a knowing look as she picked up her PDA to prepare the case to present to the team.

"JJ, wait! You didn't get any cake." Elle reminded her as JJ pushed the glass doors of the BAU open.

"Oh. I don't eat sugar. Thanks, though." JJ said as she left the bullpen.

"Who doesn't eat chocolate?" Elle asked under her breath.

* * *

She and Hotch quickly briefed the team on the case. The Tommy Killer. The case had been sitting on JJ's desk for a week, but with only four victims in two weeks, it hadn't been a priority. Now they had two more victims, _rapid escalation_--that was the term the team had used. These guys got more disgusting by the minute. Deciding that her dress, while flattering and pretty, was not conducive to field work, JJ quickly grabbed the extra business that she had hanging in her office.

This time, however, Elle did not steal JJ's seat next to Reid. JJ was secretly grateful for the older woman, but took the seat across from the young genius to give him some space. Having to make calls, it was incredibly awkward to continue getting up and down if she were sitting right next to him. As the team began to debrief, she quickly ended her call alerting San Diego PD that they were coming. JJ was busy reviewing the case files as the team discussed the newest depravity to grace her desk. Only once Spence started talking about Death and Search engines was she pulled from her thoughts.

"Reid, no wonder you can't get a date." Morgan teased as Spence's cheeks flushed furiously. JJ dropped her head to hide her disappointment. _He could get a date if he wanted one._ Keeping her eyes off the other profilers, she pretended to busy herself in work as she listened to the rest of the planning.

* * *

Once the team arrived at the San Diego police department, the profilers spread out, not bothering with introductions. JJ, who was walking with Hotch, got stopped by the the police chief.

"Captian Griffen, Task force captain." A small, portly man said

"Sorry, we all get tunnel vision, Aaron Hotchner, and this our liaison Jennifer Jareau." Hotch said to the man. JJ searched and found Reid staring at the board containing the balads. She walked over to the young genius.

"Creepy, huh?" JJ muttered.

"Actually, uh....Conversations between Death and his victims is a fairly popular literary and artistic theme throughout the Renaissance." Reid said, and then observing JJ's lack of reaction to what he said added, "Yeah, creepy." He said in an attempt to cover up what he deemed nerdy, mistaking her admiration for mockery.

* * *

Another unsub, another press conference. Really, this was her favorite part of this job, putting herself out there--representing the team, especially when they were trying to trick the unsub into calling them. It made her feel like she was really helping the investigation. Following Hotch's suggestion, she set up the press conference right in front of the precint's entrance.

She almost laughed to herself as Morgan and Elle walked behind her with the unsub. These foolish reporters were like putty in her hands, ignoring her for the visual sight of the person caught. When she announced that someone was arrested with connection to the Tommy Killer murders, there wasn't any more need for suggestions. They attempted to badger her with new questions that she easily dodged. Finishing the conference, she walked in behind Elle and Morgan.

"He confesed to Mrs. Gordon's attack before we even got to the car." Elle admitted as JJ shook her head. _What is wrong with people?_

"It should be just make the 11 o'clock news." JJ observed.

"Did you get good footage?" Hotch asked.

She was more than pleased with herself, able to answer "Yeah, you couldn't miss him."

"Call Garcia." She was commanded. It was rewarding to be the person the team relied on, the one that could make things happen to progress their investigation along. It was moments like this, moments where she could feel, confidently, like the team was only feet away from catching the UNSUB that JJ knew she was in the right line of work. This confidence was crushed only moments later when Garcia admitted that the trap and trace hadn't worked. Another girl was going to die, and it was her fault.

* * *

Paired with Hotch in their undercover surveillance, she masked beautifully her feelings of inadequacy. She was the master of control, and she wasn't about to let her boss know she ws weak, especially since he had seen her indisposed several times.

"You know, it's not your fault." Hotch said, breaking the silence that had permeated their vehicle.

"What's not my fault?" JJ tried to redirect, hoping that they weren't about to have this conversation.

"You are the face of the BAU, you are the one that got the UNSUB to call, I bet you think that it's your fault if another woman dies." Hotch observed.

"And how would it not be my fault?" JJ asked, resigning herself to honesty.

"Because you may be able to control those reporters. You may be able to control the LEOs and other officers. You may even be able to control the members of this team, but no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to control the Unsubs."

JJ fell silent at his empassioned plea. _This is why you don't have a crush on a married man!_ She scolded herself.

"You know, you've changed this team a lot." Hotch continued, sensing that JJ didn't have much to say. "I'm not the only one who notices that you break down on particularly difficult scenes, that you feel for the victims and that you do more than you have to in order to ensure that the victims are accounted for."

"I'm sorry. I need to be more controlled and--"

"No. JJ, all of us hope on some level that we can break down when the situation warrants it."

JJ could feel tears sting her eyes and fought for control of her emotions. "Um, I need some air, mind if I go for a walk?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Take all the time you need." Hotch advised.

Not five minutes later she returned to the SUV, Hotch immediately started the car.

"What did I miss?" JJ asked in surprise.

"We've got the unsub's name. Gideon found him at 875 Orange. We've got to get there now!" Hotch commanded as he flipped on the lights.

They drove furiously to meet Gideon and catch the unsub. JJ mentally cursed herself for the breakdown that lead them to being moments later than the others. _Hopefully we're not too late._

"JJ, watch the front! I'm going in the back!" Hotch yelled as he pulled the car into park in front of the home. Catching up with Elle who was currently watching the front, the profiling pair ran to the back door, offering Gideon backup he needed.

Watching Hotch lead the unsub who had caused so much pain and anguish to so many families to the waiting police car brought JJ more satisfaction than she initially thought. _Good, now I can go home and take a nice long bath._

* * *

JJ relaxed on the plane, a mug of coffee--her only source of unnatural sugar--in her hands. Busy looking over the final reports that had been writen, she triple checked to ensure that all of the required fields had been filled in. Her in depth study was interrupted by Spence who came to sit across the aisle from her.

"Hi" Reid said shyly, JJ's only response was to look up. He didn't usually seem this nervous.

JJ smiled to encourage him to keep on talking.

"So I never knew you were a fan of football." He observed, glancing over to Gideon. If this ended the way JJ wanted it to end, then she would be giving the older man a hug. Glancing over to the older profiler, JJ just smiled at Reid, encouraging him to continue.

When he didn't she gave a noncomittal shrug "Yeah. I'm a small town girl." _Wow that was stupid!_ She thought to herself.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go to the Redskins game with me." Spence stated quietly so no one could hear, though JJ saw the corners of Hotch's mouth pull upward.

"Like a date?" JJ asked, keeping an impressive amount of control on the excitement that was building inside her.

"Well...some people might call it that...I mean, if you want too...but..." Reid began nervously fidgiting with his hands.

"A date it is." JJ said definitely.

"Oh! Ok! Um, the game is for Sunday at 6:30. So, I'll pick you up around 6?" He suggested, she could tell by the pitch and speed of his voice that he was excited.

"Great. What about dinner?" She asked encouragingly.

"Oh. Right. We can go to dinner before, so like 5:30?" Reid asked, disbelievingly.

"Sounds perfect Spence."

* * *

**_AN/Again, I encourage everyone to read this awesome story 'The Ties That Bind', it's really good ;)_**


	11. Chapter 11

**_AN/Thanks so much to everybody that has reviewed or alerted or even just read happily this story. _**

* * *

_Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring..._

"Someone better be on fire or in the hospital JJ." Lauren moaned, "Why is it that you only call me at three in the morning?"

"It's seven-thirty, you have work in two hours!" JJ scoffed, reminding herself that it was alright that she was missing work for a change, her brother was coming home for heaven's sake.

"Yes, two beautiful, blissful hours in which I will sleep for an hour and then get ready for work. I still have an hour of illustrious sleep!" Lauren yelled into the reciever.

"Another late night with Paul?" JJ asked laughing.

"Yes." Lauren admitted begrudgingly.

"Well, in that case, I guess I won't tell you about my date with Reid." JJ taunted, passing a sign saying 'Welcome to Maryland.' JJ forgot how long the drive to Pennsylvania was.

"So it is Reid now? Not Spence?" Lauren asked, now very intrested. "Give me all the hot, explicit details."

"Uh...There was nothing like that." JJ told her friend, she heard a light _hmphf _on the other side of the line. "But if you listen like a good, little girl I will let you tell me all about how I am anti-social and how I need to date more."

"Sounds like a deal." Lauren said intently, if JJ considered this a date, then Lauren would like to tell her friend what's what.

"So, I wore my lucky jersey, and that bracelet that you gave me for christmas." JJ began, knowing that the outfit would be the part Lauren cared most about.

"What jeans? While I would have picked another top, but you get an B- for effort. How did you do your hair?"

"My dark, skinny jeans that you always used to steal and I put it in a ponytail--but a styled ponytail, so it counts as a hair-do."

"C+, the jeans pull it up, but the ponytail took you to a C." Lauren informed her.

"Someone should have been a teacher." JJ obsereved.

"Thought about it, little kids bug me. Ok, so keep on telling me the story." Lauren insisted.

"Alright, It's 5:08, and I hear a knock on my door..." JJ was rudely interrupted by her friend.

"Wait, you know what time exactly? That's a little pathetic. And doesn't that make him like, 20 minutes early?"

"Yeah, he was a little early. I was ready though, so it wasn't a big deal." JJ resumed her story telling. "So he walks me to his car, which he washed and vacuumed."

"Ooo, the little genius is scoring well. Keep going." Lauren commanded as JJ continued to explain every detail of her date with Spencer Reid. They spoke like that for forty five minutes until JJ revealed the end of the date.

"So, it was going well?" Lauren asked excitedly. "Do you think he'll ask you out again?"

"Well, that's the thing. It was this incredibly fun date, dinner was perfect, the 'skins won their opening game against the Bears by 2 and it was probably the most fun I've ever had." JJ started.

"But..." Lauren encouraged.

"But, he walked me up to my door. I wasn't expecting him to kiss me or anything, just a hug--he's a little shy. But, then he says 'JJ, I'm so glad we can just be friends, I get so nervous around _real_ girls'."

"He didn't!" Lauren groanded. "It had been going so well!"

"I know, not only does he in one sentence tell me how he's _not interested_, but then he acts like I'm not even a girl!" JJ moaned.

"Ouch. What did you say?" Lauren cringed.

"I said 'Excuse me?' I was going to call him on it, genius or no, he's kind of cute--but he can't tell me that I'm just 'one of the guys.' I've been that my whole life! Then he moved because he thought I was trying to get into my apartment. He waved and walked away." JJ finished.

"So, good date. Lousy finish." Lauren surmised. Truthfully, JJ's dating history was full of losers, pompous jerks, and other weirdos that Lauren wasn't too sure how to classify. This guy had seemed nice, and she was excited that her friend could possibly start a normal relationship.

"Terrible finish." JJ agreed. "I stayed up most of the night cleaning my apartment so I didn't have to think about it--I knew you were out with Paul, so I didn't want to call until this morning."

Lauren gave a noncommital grunt, remembering the lost sleep that was now past. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"I'm on my way to Jared's homecoming. I'll try to find some guy to ease my sorrows with, then come home and vegg out." JJ admitted. "But, it's 8:05 now, so it's time for you to start getting ready for work."

"Well, just make sure it's not that friend of your brother...Hal. He was such a dork!" Lauren instructed. JJ really did have the weirdest luck when it came to men. She usually liked the normal, nice guys, but the only ones she ever dated were absolute losers.

"I'm not making any promises, I am looking for an eligible bachelor--any eligible bachelor--really anybody will do." JJ said slyly.

"And, _that _is your problem my friend. Don't get me wrong, I am all over speed dating, but you might be headed in the wrong direction if you blow off this guy from work with some loser from home. But tell me all of the juicy details when you get back!"

"I will." JJ promised, hoping that there would be details to share.

"Oh, and Jayje?" Her friend asked before JJ could get off the phone.

"Yeah, Laurs?"

"You're too anti-social. You need to date more." Lauren said with a laugh as she ended the call. Her friend may have been an important good looking FBI agent, but her dating life was seriously lacking.

* * *

"Agent Jareau." JJ said answering her cell phone, she was just about to turn off the old highway into her old home town.

"Hey, its Hotch. The Attorney General for New York's daughter has gone missing and we need to breif."

JJ's heart sank, here was a case where her specialty could be used, and she couldn't help. Her media training was also in demand in situations like this. "Hotch, I can't come in today, or even this week. You authorized my vacation time."

"Oh, I am sorry, I forgot." Hotch replied awkwardly.

"Haylee is having her baby soon, why are you there?" JJ asked, regretting her boldness after it was said.

"She is going to be induced when I get home." He answered bluntly. Deciding to return the favor he asked, "So how was your date with Reid?"

"Point taken. Bye Hotch!" She said after recognizing what he was trying to prove.

"Call me if you need anything." Hotch replied, cutting off the line.

JJ felt a little upset that her ideal case, the one she was perfectly suited for, came while she was visiting her family. As she turned into the familiar drive-way, she forgot all about the case at hand. She saw her father outside holding a hose, watering a newly planted tree.

"Dad? What are you doing?" JJ asked, confused as she got out of her small car.

"Watering my Maple tree. What does it look like I am doing?" Her father retorted annoyed.

"Why did you buy a new Maple tree?"

"Because I felt like it and Jared likes trees!"

"Everybody likes trees." JJ shot back, and at her father's non-committal grunt added, "Jared also likes beer and ping pong, but I don't see any of that anywhere."

"Jennifer! There is beer in the house and we will just have to find a ping pong table" JJ could swear she heared him add under his breath "I really didn't think about that."

"Sorry Dad, I never meant to question whether we had alcohol. I know how important it is to you." JJ said stiffiling a laugh.

"Beer is a tradition! It is not something we just take lightly." John Jaraue shouted.

"And so is binge drinking." JJ teased, she knew that she was toeing the line, but she could not stop.

"A little Vodka never hurt anyone!" JJ had to stop herself from giving examples of who it actually did hurt, like the victims of drunk drivers. The funny thing was, that her dad was very careful about alcohol. All of the Jareau children had been inundated with information about the horrors of hard drinking. While, yes her father enjoyed a nice, stiff drink, he didn't usually preach the wonders of it. Her father was a drinker, but not a drunk. This was completely out of character.

"Dad, why are you being so angry?" JJ asked, more than a little terrified that her usually passive father was having a psychotic break. "Do you hear yourself?"

"I AM NOT ANGRY!" He growled. Stopping for a moment, he began to laugh. "I may be a little on edge." He finally admitted, "I just want everything to go alright, and we know I am not the best party planner."

"That's alright, because I am an excellent party planner." JJ said, tooting her own horn a bit. "Did you get the house clean?"

"Of course." Slowly becoming closer and closer to his usual calm self.

"Alright, well, we have an hour before Brayden, Anna and the kids come. What do we need to get done?"

"I have everything done, I was just worried that Jared would feel wierd so I wanted to do something."

"So you bought him a tree?" JJ asked teasingly.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Her dad admitted.

"How many times have I told you not to go to home depot when you are feeling stressed?"

"You liked the new paint and you know it." He teased. "But now, I just want to get the roses looking good."

* * *

An hour, three bandaids, and a well pruned rose bush later, the rest of JJ's family showed up. Brayden and Anna came with their children in tow, with Maggie, the huge German Shephard lagging along. JJ ran to greet her little neices and nephew. Lilly, who was seven, ran to give her aunt a big hug. JJ also hugged Kayla, and Bryson, who were four and three. She wondered if Bryson would ever find out if he was an accident or if Brayden was just going to lie to him for his entire life. She decided that she could always use that as leverage, easily manipulating her older brother. JJ didn't mean to be evil, but she had experianced far to many times of Brayden locking her in a closet to not know a good oppurtunity when she saw one. She was interrupted from her devious plotting when Maggie came bounding at her.

"AHHH!" JJ screamed, running away from the giant animal, in hope for survival.

"JJ, you pansy! You work at the FBI and you're scared of Maggie?" Brayden yelled, beside himself in laughter.

"Now Brayden, you know the only thing young JJ is scared of is the woods." A man said approaching the family.

"Hey Hal! She may be afraid of the woods, but I believe that there is some anxiety concerning the canine species." Brayden called, waving at family's old friend. He knew that Hal had always had a crush on his sister, but it was not acceptable for him to ruin Brayden's teasing of her.

"You sound like Reid." JJ laughed, forgetting that her joke was wasted on her family who had no idea who Spence was. "Alright, it looks like everyone is here. Natalie will meet us at the airstrip." JJ commanded, more than a little excited that Jared's girlfriend had decided to wait for her little brother.

* * *

They stood with the other anxious family members as the plane carrying her brother finally landed. They watched in anticipation as men exited the plane, one by one, until a familiar face emerged. JJ almost laughed when she saw her little brother. Jared had always been a petite guy, he had tried to bulk up several times but his metabolism just wouldn't let him. It was a long running joke in their family that he weighed less than JJ. Now, however, he looked very different. His skin had a soft glow and his shirt barely camoflauged the bulging muscles beneath it. His previously permmanent long hair was crisp and short, making him look much more sophisticated than his 23 years. As he saw his family, his face broke into a wide grin and ran towards them. _Yep, still the same Jared._

Hours later, her father was still constantly by Jared's side, despite the fact that Natalie was permanently placed on Jared's lap. JJ scoffed lightly at her father's reaction, knowing that John Jareau would do anything for his children.

"Hi." A voice startled her from behind.

"Oh, Hal. Hi. It's nice of you to come all the way from New York." JJ looked up at the childhood friend who had followed her to Pittsburg. Hal had been friend's with her brothers while they were children, even though he and JJ were the same age. JJ didn't really like Hal, but in college after a few shots, some things happened, and well...Hal was still hoping that they would someday do it again.

"It is no problem. I am glad to see Jared again, and seeing you doesn't hurt." He said with a smug grin, actually winking at her. Any other day in her entire life she would give him the shut out and go home alone. But this wasn't any other day, it was the day after she found out Reid thought of her as one of the guys. So, here was her chance to drown her sorrows and cut her losses, and she was going to make the most of it.

Laughing flirtatiously, she flipped her hair. "I am glad to see you too."

"You look lovely." He said giving her an appraising look.

JJ tried to stiffle a laugh, she was wearing a hoodie and a pair of her rattiest jeans. Her hair was in a simple up-do that took her three minutes to do. JJ wasn't positive, but she was sure Lauren would give her a D- on the fashion scale. Hoping that her laughing could be misconstrued as flirting, JJ muttered a feeble, "Thanks, you look good too."

Hal was going to say something else, but never got the chance when Jared and Brayden ran up to JJ. Brayden easily scooped JJ up in his arms.

"Jayj! I am going to drop you!" He teased in between of JJ's loud protests. "No? Alright. Hey Jar, catch!" Tossing JJ to her younger brother, similar to how they would toss a bag of potatoes. JJ landed in Jared's arms, as she heard a grunt.

"Wow, Jenny-bear, you are heavier than you look." Jared said with a gleam in his eye, setting JJ on her feet. "Now who wants a Jenny taco?"

JJ braced herself as she became the median of a body slam. Wincing in embarassement, not pain, she asked her little brother,"Hey Jar, where's Natalie? Did she get sick of your lap?"

"She had to go home, her grandma is visiting." He said simply, adding "Which is why I am now torturing you."

Brayden quickly turned on Jared, "Hey, you may not want to mess with her. We all know that she can take you." JJ laughed at how her brothers were just as mean to eachother as they were to her.

"Please, I am a military man. I would _crush_ her." Jared said as he tackled her to the ground. He was stronger than JJ remembered, but she knew his ticklish spots and she had formal training. She grabbed lightly behind his knee, causing him to jerk a little. Jared was now ready for bussiness, he twisted, grabbing her wrist. He had her pinned, and started manipulating her arms.

"JJ, why are you hitting yourself?" He said, making her slap herself on the head.

"Jared, I will kill you when you get off of me!"

"Then I guess I will just never get off of you." He said snidely, as he used her own arms to smack her once again.

"Daddy! Save me." But to JJ's dismay, her father just sat down to watch.

"He has been gone for two years." Her father rationalized.

"What? How is that fair?"

"JJ, you are part of the FBI." Her father reminded her that she would get no sympathy in this situation. Jared grabbed JJ's arms into one hand now, suddenly tapping her right between the eyes causing her to blink furiously.

"STOP IT! How old are you! You're an adult, we are _way_ too old for this!" Said in a final attempt to convince her brother to leave her alone.

"PLEASE! The only reason we are now too old for this is because I can finally beat _you_ up." Jared teased. Apparently Brayden had enough of Jared's domination and tackled his baby brother.

"Brayden." JJ panted, extremely relieved to see her brothers wrestling like children on the ground. "I am _so_ glad you're my older brother." JJ admitted.

"JJ, I think that's the first time you've said that since Brayden beat up Jake Holmstead after he cheated on you with Amy Donnely." The Jareau patriarch observed.

* * *

**_AN/Again, I just want to thank everyone for their immense support in this story! Merry Christmas!_**


	12. Chapter 12

**_AN/Thanks so much to everybody that has reviewed or alerted or even just read happily this story. I'd also like to thank SSBAILEY for some excellent brownies. :)_**

* * *

JJ returned home after her week of vacation very relaxed--well, as relaxed as you could be with two brothers' constant teasing. While it had been agony every moment she was away from work, it had been nice to be able to talk about something that didn't involve rape, murder, theft, and/or abductions. JJ needed some time to breathe and refocus her energy. Her one regret from her week in East Allegheny was giving Hal her number. She had agreed to go out with him once, and she had let him be her rebound after that awful door-step scene with Spence. But after she had gotten home from his apartment, he had called her at least twice a day, and hadn't picked on her not-so-subtle cues that she was far from interested. When she unlocked her door of her apartment and heard the phone ring, she was sure it was him.

"Hal! I just got in and I can't really talk right now, let me call you when I am not swamped at work." JJ lied, knowing there would never be a time where she was not swamped at work.

"Well, you came up with that excuse fast." Hotch laughed on the other end of the phone. "Who's Hal?"

"What can I do for you Hotch?" JJ asked cringing--why did she always have awkward moments with Hotch?

"Hailey had her baby, and we have a case that I need you to brief the team on in the morning."

"Congratulations! Um, I'll have the briefing ready in the morning." JJ said, still mortified.

"If I say please will you tell me who Hal is and why you don't like him?" Hotch teased, in a rare jovial mood.

"I don't not like Hal." JJ lied for no particular reason. Truth be told, she didn't like Hal, but for some reason she did not want Hotch to know that, or why she didn't for that matter.

"JJ, you were going to tell him that you'd call him when you weren't busy. You work for the BAU, you will always be busy."

"I will be at work first thing to review the case. See you then."

"Changing the subject? That is a deflection technique if I have ever heard one."

"What is with you tonight? Did you suddenly decide to have a sense of humor?" JJ snapped at her boss. Seriously, Hotch never teased anyone, so why was he making fun of her now?

"Sorry, that was unprofessional. Good night, JJ." Hotch apologized sincerely before hanging up the phone.

* * *

When JJ arrived at work, just to hear that Spencer Reid failed his qualifying exam, she felt disgusted with herself at how happy that made her. It was petty and she knew it, but after Reid telling her that she wasn't a real girl, she felt a little bitter. Presenting the case, she had a hard time suppressing the giggle she wanted to let it out. The briefing was a cinch, the case however would be difficult. LDSK's had never been caught by a profile and JJ was afraid that it would turn into the Beltway Shooter's all over again.

On the plane, JJ was both excited and slightly enraged when Reid sat down by her like nothing happened. It was hard for her accept that Reid didn't know what he did. But it mattered to JJ. While the BAU was an exciting unit, there was on problem. Men sucked. Reid didn't think she was a girl, Hotch was fantastic, but married, Morgan was would be great to spend time with, if JJ ever got to work with him and Gideon was a little old for her. She had never been the type to use work to pick up men, but her current predicament was cramping her style. Mentally forcing herself to get back to work, JJ started to go over the press releases all over again, having to reread them several times in order to comprehend anything they were saying.

She avoided Reid the entire time, staying with Gideon and Elle as they went over victimology. She got a small thrill out of almost arresting a reporter, but other than that, she assumed this case would be just like all of the others. Little did she know that this case would be very different.

When going to talk to a narcissistic trauma surgeon, she thought about the surgeon she dated for a few weeks, David was a jerk--cute, filthy rich, smart, but interested in a finding a trophy wife--which JJ was far from. JJ laughed as she remembered how it eventually ended in Lauren breaking up with David for JJ, by leaving a message on his voice mail. While JJ normally abhorred behavior like that from her friend, she easily admitted to herself how much she appreciated her friend's meddling--sometimes.

She wasn't prepared for what would awaken her from her nostalgia, she wasn't prepared for Spence and Hotch to get take hostage. Not that she ever would be, but it was difficult to deal with how worried she was for her coworkers. Victims seemed distant, like they were entirely different beings in question, but to have some of the only people who understood her--who understood what the job had done to her, they seemed real. JJ sat on the edge of her seat until she heard the gun shots. When she heard them, she thought she could cry. JJ was sure the UNSUB had gunned down Reid and Hotch. She knew it. She felt guilty about how she treated Reid since she returned home. She knew he didn't mean what he said to hurt her, and it doing so was unintentional.

In the matter of seconds where JJ was sure tragedy had struck, she was gladly proven wrong. As soon as she could make up the gap between her and Reid, she had him in a hug. She was surprised when she found out that Elle had gotten the same idea, and while she would have perferred a moment alone with him, she gladly accepted that Elle being there would atleast make the hug less awkward.

* * *

JJ awoke startled, as she found herself being carried up a flight of stairs by Morgan. Confused, she racked her brain for any possible explanation why Morgan would be taking her home.

As if he could read her mind, Morgan looked down at her. "You fell asleep on the plane, we all tried to wake you up when we landed, but you were out. I don't know what you took, but it must have been strong. I wanted to leave you there, but Hotch made me take you home." Morgan said grinning, "I told you that I would get you in bed some how, I just wasn't planning for it to be like this."

"Please Morgan, this is the only way that you could ever get me to let you take me home. I would have to be unconcious." JJ teased weakly, trying to ward off the grogginess that was enveloping her.

"Tell me, would you have to be drooling to? Because you did a whole lot of that." Morgan shot back, "Or was that a sign of you having a very X-rated dream about me."

"You caught me." JJ said, all sarcasm lost by her long yawn.

"Or would it be about Reid? Maybe something freaky did go on after the football game. The Redskins don't have to be the only ones scoring touchdowns." Morgan joked, as he reached opened her door. "Man, you must be tired. You didn't throw one little, pathetic tantrum over me carrying you the entire time you were awake."

"I am saving my energy to kick you later."

"You never did answer my question about you and Reid. So tell me, am I going to have to buy you a blender for your wedding anytime soon?" Morgan's question was answered by JJ's glare as he set her on her couch. "Come on, it couldn't have been that bad. What did the kid do? I mean, you didn't talk to him the entire time we were in Illinois. Something is up."

"He told me that I wasn't a girl. Well, that I wasn't a real girl. I even bothered washing my hair for him, and he said that I wasn't a real girl!" JJ fumed, then considered how strange that she was sharing this with Morgan of all people.

"Do you not usually wash your hair?" Morgan asked skeptically, then seeing that she was not in the mood for games, he sighed. "JJ, Reid is a good person but he lacks all forms of social skills...all. You should have seen Elle's face when he told her that her biological clock was ticking and that he wasn't sure how viable her eggs were. I thought she was going to shoot him, and frankly, was a little disappointed when she didn't. You have Dawgs trying to pick you up in bars all the time, why do you need Reid to think you're a...Oh no." He stopped.

"What?" She looked around the room, somewhat scared that he had seen a spider or a cockroach in her immaculate apartment.

"YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON REID!" Morgan yelled in disbelief.

JJ merely shrugged, sinking back into the couch, not having enough energy to lie.

"You are not seriously telling me that you...what would Elle say if she knew?" Morgan was nearly beside himself in laughter.

"It is not funny." JJ whined slightly.

"Yes it is, it is hilarious. This is the funniest thing I have heard since Reid told me that he believed in ghosts." Morgan sat on the couch.

"Morgan! If you tell _anybody _about this, I will castrate you in front of that coffee shop girl." JJ threatened, only making Morgan laugh harder.

"Oh, I won't _tell _anyone, but once I text Elle and Garcia, the whole world will probably know. Oh! And we should probably tell Gideon too, let him know that his little match making was more inspired than he thought! What about Hotch?" Morgan laughed, tears rolling down his cheeks from laughing so hard.

"Are you _finished_?" JJ asked angrily causing Morgan's laughter to subside. "Why don't you just leave." She suggested.

"Nope. So what's bugging you about this whole thing? You know as well as everyone else that he just get's nervous. What's the big deal?"

"Why does he get an excuse? I mean, everybody else is just as uncomfortable on a first date as he is, but all everybody says is 'Poor Reid'." She spat out angrily.

"You're right girl, but the kid just gets nervous." Morgan tried to explain, though he knew that she had already come to that conclusion. "Tell you what, I won't tell _or text_ anyone about this, but eventually, you're going to have to cut the kid some slack." He said, a rare moment of compassion possessing him.

"Fine. But it's not going to happen anytime soon." JJ admitted begrudgingly. "Now go away, I want to sleep in my own bed for once."

* * *

**_AN/Again, I just want to thank everyone for their immense support in this story!_** **_And if anyone offers you a batch of cookies....Run!_**


	13. Chapter 13

**_AN/I've been stumped for a while on how best to do this, so thanks to all of you that will read and review this chapter--any suggestions would be great :) In case you didn't notice, I'm trying to follow the show very closely, so this chapter happens post 'Derailed'. I am, of course, making a lot of stuff up, but I'm trying to go with explaining JJ's feelings and relationships with her coworkers throughout the episodes. If I owned Criminal Minds, I would be very happy. All that I do own are some very delicious brownies._**

* * *

Jennifer Jareau was busy. Sure, she worked for an elite unit of the FBI. Sure, serial killers suddenly seemed to be cropping up like weeds. But if it were possible, Jennifer Jareau, Special Agent for the FBI was more busy than usual. The profilers she worked with had no clue the strain she was under, since the liaison for Counter-terrorism suddenly quit after hashing it out with Strauss. JJ recieved a call early in the morning one day, telling her to meet the section chief in her office. It was then that JJ found out that she would be working with both the BAU and Counter-terrorism until a replacement could be found. While at the time it had not seemed like a huge addition to her workload, JJ was discovering it to be quite a bit more difficult than she could have ever guessed. This was literally the first time she made it home at decent hour--and only the second time she made it home at all.

As soon as she walked into her home, she grabbed the files that she had carried home. Not only was she doing twice the work she normally did, but she was also incharge of helping Stauss pick a new liaison for Counter-Terrorism. After two weeks of working with him, it was apparent that SAC Eric Bronson was a lackey of Erin Strauss and had diverted the liaison choice to his superior, thus inviting the angry superior to 'invite' JJ's suggestions, If she could get that done quickly, then this nightmare would suddenly be over. She poured herself into the applications, only to be interrupted by yet another call of a desperate detective.

She slept fitfully that night, arguing to herself over whether she had allowed another entire family to be murdered based on her not picking the case--it was a familiar nightmare, though this time full of young children. To get up early in the morning, deciding to get an early start on the briefing that was completely necessary. Entirely focused on her goal, she completely missed the older man at her side until he spoke up.

"Watch that 'Skins game the other day?" Gideon asked, causing her to jump slightly, then smile in recovery.

"Of course, though even I was tempted to turn it off after the third quarter since it was such a blow-out--terrible game, I blame it on the reffing." JJ scoffed, entering the elevator with the seasoned profiler.

"What are you doing here so early?" He asked, pushing the button for the 10th floor that housed their offices.

"I'm preparing a briefing for our next case--a possible family killer." JJ said sadly.

"Get me the case files first, I'll look through it all first for a preliminary profile." Gideon promised kindly, knowing the amount of pressure the young liaison was probably under.

"Thanks." She said surprised as Gideon walked away purposefully.

An hour later, the case files were copied and the presentation was ready. She dropped the casefiles off to Gideon, who ignored her as she put the files on his desk. She wasn't actually sure that he had remembered his promise to read them, but decided that she had presented with less before.

After she dropped off the best candidates' applications and the press release to deal with Counter Terrorism's latest media fiasco, JJ felt completely focused. It was only once she saw the happy family exit the elevator that she was interrupted from her focused workload, she being the first to rush up and see the newborn Jack. Garcia was not far behind her, dragging Reid to see the newborn. After a few minutes of fawning over and adoring Hotch's baby boy, in which even Morgan came to take a peek. This was the only moment of peace she had for nearly a month, always being confined in her office to work on paperwork and casefiles, and that was torture. JJ hated her office, and now she was spending upwards of thirteen hours in it. Her moment of happiness was interrupted by Elle, who handed a file to Hotch.

JJ lied in her bathtub, soaking in the warm water, relaxing for the first time in what seemed like centuries. She couldn't help but cringe when she heard her ever-present cell phone ring excitedly. She begrudginly answered it, promising herself that she would make this phone call as quick as possible. It could be the Director of the FBI for all she cared, she would not spend more than a minute and a half on the phone.

"Jareau, what do you want?" She grumbled.

"Woah, someone's panty hose rode up a little too far." Lauren said at JJ's ornery attitude. "What is with the answering the phone like I am calling you at some odd hour of the morning--oh wait! Only you do that."

"Sorry Lauren, I have had the absolute longest month of my entire life. I would quit, but I am afraid Strauss won't let me." JJ complained, while she was stressed and working ridiculous hours, she had also had the grumpiest month of her life. She thought she heard Morgan whisper something to Elle about how he thought that PMS couldn't last this long.

"Maybe you just need a vacation." Lauren reasoned.

"Yeah, since the last time I went on vacation, ended up hooking up with Hal, who won't stop calling me." JJ said before she heard a loud gasp on the line. "Oh yeah, I never told you about that...I got lonely." JJ tried to rationalize what in the world would tempt her to give Hal her number, but all she could come up with was hormones and a need to prove to Reid that someone thought she was a girl.

"Oh sweetie, you didn't. JJ, how many times do I have to tell you that under no circumstances that you should ever even address Hal, let alone give him a current way to contact you." Lauren said in mock sympathy. "This didn't have anything to do with the genius questioning your femininity?" She asked knowingly.

"Maybe." JJ said angrily.

"What is your problem?" Lauren asked in surprise, normally JJ was grumpy when she called her during her 'relaxing time' at night, but this was over the top even if she had interrupted the bubble bath experience that usually occurred only in times of extreme stress.

"Oh, I don't know, the fact that we've had to deal with rapists, murderers, and abductors this month? Or the fact that I've had to deal with a family murderer, or the sadistic mob hit man that killed over a hundred people, or maybe that two of my colleagues were held at gunpoint by a psychopath on a train? I don't know, _possibly_it could be the fact that I found out that my little brother is getting married next month?" JJ ranted, her warm bubble bath doing little to releave the stress she had been feeling. Luckily she had found a replacement for the other unit, or she just might have lost it under pressure.

"Wow, that is an eventful month. Wait! Jared's getting married? To Natalie?"

"Yeah, and I'm happy for him, but I just..."

"Well, I've got an idea to liven up your boring life--what if I set you up with one of Paul's friends?" Lauren proposed, not bothering to listen to JJ's reasons for being upset. She was a girl, she understood. Her brother was five years younger and JJ had no prospects--it's kind of depressing.

"NO." JJ said quickly, though knowing that Lauren had likely already scheduled the date.

"But he is nice. He is even in the bureau! He works in Organized Crime with Paul, and he is really cool. I think he is attractive too, but not as hot as Paul of course.." Lauren persuaded.

"What's this attractive, cool FBI agent's name?" JJ asked skeptically. She doubted that after working with Hotch, Morgan and Reid, that she could ever find random agents attractive ever again--once you were surrounded by some of the best looking men on the planet, it was hard to find average guys appealing. She hopped out of the bathtub, wrapping her large, gray bathrobe around her.

"I don't know his first name because Paul never uses it, but his last name is Kramer, like in Seinfeld." Lauren admitted, unprepared for the choking for air that came after it. "What is so funny?" Lauren asked, refering to JJ's hysterical laughter in the background.

"I..." JJ began but couldn't get out, "I met him..." she tried to end her sentence, "...over a case two weeks ago! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!" JJ was practically doubled over in laughter, almost in the same position Morgan was a few weeks earlier when he had dropped her off home.

"What? He is a nice person." Lauren said, trying to defend Paul's friend. JJ could have suspected this much, Lauren was in love with Paul and would never say anything negative about one of his friends, not even to JJ.

"And he is controlling... and stuborn... and has some serious anger issues...Laur, he nearly tried to beat up Hotch!" JJ rattled off the reasons, trying to make her friend understand why JJ couldn't ever date Agent Kramer.

"Is this about Hotch? JJ, why don't you just ask him out if you like him so much?" Lauren asked, confused why JJ would be spending her time with Reid if there was somebody else on her mind.

"Because he is married, and he is my boss, and I don't like him like that!" JJ responed increadulously.

"Hmmm....That would pose some difficulties. The fact he is married, and that he is your boss, not the your not intrested in him thing because that is a outright lie." Lauren said, then hearing her friend's groan, she began to defend her assesment. "You talk about him all the time. You admitted that you think he is cute. You have a little crush on your married boss. That is nothing to be ashamed of. I personally have a crush on Agent Felter in Computer Crimes, he is attractive and I can think about him all I want. I just can't have anything with him in real life."

"Agent Felter? Isn't he like, 60? You going for the Sean Connery types? How does Paul feel about this?" JJ asked laughing.

"Paul knows, he finds it funny, but alast, he knows that Felter is married and that I will never have him as my own. So, he is pretty ok with it. I will just say, his wife is a lucky woman." Lauren responded, unphased by JJ's scrutiny. "You have a crush on Kevin Costner, and he's over the hill."

"That's different! You would too if you saw 'Field of Dreams'."

"You know my staunch policy on sports movies, we have gone over that many times. Although, Paul did make me watch 'Mighty Ducks', that wasn't a bad sports movie though, it was just a bad movie. Period." Lauren mused.

"You don't like 'Mighty Ducks'?" JJ asked, slightly wounded. While she had not seen the movie in a few years, it had been one that she had watched frequently when she was younger.

"Please, put your hands together and quack? Because ducks just make everyone quake in fear." Lauren teased, and then began to laugh. "How did we get on this topic anyway?" She asked confused.

"You think I am in love with my boss, then we were talking about your crush on Agent Felter who is old, then you made fun of me for Kevin Costner, and then we started talking about sports movies, and here we are. You may want to see a doctor, you should get on some Ritalin." JJ teased her friend as she pulled on her favorite pajamas.

"Why? Has it helped you?" Lauren retorted.

"Immeasurably, want a bottle?" JJ shot back.

Lauren chose wisely to quickly change the subject, "So, how's the new girl at work? Got a new gal-pal?"

"Let's just say, she's one of the boys. I still don't really like her very much, but I feel bad about that because she just got held hostage on a train." JJ confided.

"Ahh, so the whole 'bad karma' with hating someone is true, eh?"

"I don't _hate_ her, I just don't _like_ her." JJ insisted quickly.

"Oh, what? Did she step on your turff and steal the young doctor away from you? Or did she convince the black hunk of a man to have dinner with her? No, I bet it's that she convinced the _ridiculously_ attractive boss to leave his wife and run away with her that's got your panties in a bunch." Lauren teased.

"For the last time, I work with all of these guys, nothing's going to happen." JJ reaffirmed.

"Yeah, whatever." Lauren dismissed.

* * *

**_AN/No offense is meant to my fellow ADD friends out there, there's no shame in Ritalin :) I've got this awesome chapter coming up, that I mistakenly wrote before I actually was ready for it--so I'm trying to build up decently to it, let me know what you think. And, I don't own Criminal Minds._**


	14. Chapter 14

When JJ got to work on that Tuesday morning, she knew that she was in for quite the day. Nothing seemed quite right. As she picked up a casefile to go over, her desk phone began ringing ominously.

"Agent Jareau." She answered, worried of what this next case could bring.

"Hi, my name is Tom Bridges and I'm the sheriff for McAllister, Virginia, we've got a situation here that we need your help with." The sheriff told her, his voice full of panic.

"What is the situation?" She asked, knowing that this was going to be one of the bad ones.

"We've got two bodies here. Both blunt force trauma to the head. One has been dead for less than a few hours, and the others been dead for about a year." He said worried.

"Well, sir. I'm sorry, but what makes this a BAU case?" JJ questioned. Two bodies was bad, but there were more pressing cases.

"Ms. Jareau, there are signs that these murders are done in the name of Satan."

"What?" JJ asked surprised, she had not been expecting that as an answer. "Have someone fax me everything you have."

She got up and ran to Hotch's office. "We've got a case."

"What is it?" He asked, not surprised at JJ's urgency. He'd gotten used to never actually using formalities around JJ. In the months that she had worked with him, he could only remember actually saying 'hello' to her twice.

"I'm getting faxed the details, but there's some panic about a satanic cult. Two people have been murdered, blunt force trauma to the head." She said as an agent came into Hotch's office.

"JJ, these are for you." The agent said, giving JJ a file that contained all the information. JJ looked over it quickly, her heart skipping a beat when she saw that the crime scene was in the woods. But the case was too important for her to get hung up on that little detail. She handed it over to Hotch who skimmed it quickly, nodding.

"Let's brief the team." He said, getting up from his desk.

JJ stood for a minute, paralyzed by her own fear of the woods.

* * *

Within an hour, the team was in the air. JJ poured herself into the casefile she was reading, inexplicably happy that it was a short plane ride. Her current annoyance with Reid had made flying to and from crime scenes very awkward. She had actually begun resorting to working on the way home in order to avoid having to make small talk with the genius. She knew that she was being petty, but she just didn't have it in her to care. JJ's ego was still injured from the Redskins game. What was she supposed to do when she finds out that the man she has a huge crush on thinks of her as 'one of the guys?' He probably didn't even notice that she was avoiding him. JJ turned her thoughts away from her current feelings of humiliation, instead focusing her energies on the case at hand.

"JJ, we need to obviously, keep this out of the press for as long as possible." Hotch commanded, placing a crime scene photo on the table near her.

"I'll do what I can." JJ responded, mentally noting to not speak to any reporters while she was down there. She listened as the team began speaking about the nature of satanic crimes, and how ritualistic killings weren't typical. She seriously hoped that this had nothing to do with Satan. Growing up in a strong, christian neighborhood had caused a discomfort at the idea of Satanism.

JJ shifted her weight uncomfortably, and got up from her seat. If she was going to have to hike all over the mountain, she probably should do it wearing pants. She tried to not look over at Reid, but failed. He gave her a very questioning look. _"Yup, he's noticed."_JJ thought to herself. She knew it was stupid, but she was glad that Reid was missing her.

* * *

After a long, awkward drive up the mountain, JJ was glad to be at the crime scene. She had been confined in a SUV with Reid and Gideon, which made for scanty conversation. Reid she was avoiding, and Gideon, their little matchmaker, and had inherently noticed that her and Spence weren't speaking. The entire ride up he kept on telling JJ about the 'beauty of forgiveness' and how as humans, there were health benefits of letting go of grudges. Reid brought up the statistic that those who forgive had lessened chances at anxiety and depression. JJ was less than amused at Gideon's antics.

When JJ looked around, she couldn't help but feel nostalgic, she felt like she was back in East Allegheny. All small towns seemed to feel the same, surrounded by woods and the spirit of the community very close knit. They all loved football only second to God and prioritized like wise. Church on Sunday and football on Monday and Friday.

When JJ met Sheriff Bridges, she instantly felt for him. She understood the whole, small town mentality, and the feeling that it couldn't happen in their community. She watched as Reid and Gideon examined the placement of the bodies, the trees were marked and wax was melted. She laughed when she heard Reid say something about how Christians rejected the birthday celebration in earlier centuries, in spite of her current feelings of annoyance.

Because she felt a kinship to the sheriff, it was easy for her to bring up the idea of a search party. She knew how to use her experiance--both professional and personal to help him see the use in what she was saying. Instantly gratified when he agreed, she followed him down to his truck. JJ was glad at the prospect of driving into town with him. Sheriff Bridges did not seem like the type that would try to fill every minute with mindless chatter. And then....

"Hey can I come with you guys? I need to call Quantico and have them research the whole LOD thing." Reid called, practically falling down the mountain. JJ laughed to herself, apparently this was just another sign that she had to get over what happened at the Redskins game. It had been almost two months, quite frankly it was more than a little pathetic how hard she was holding on to this thing.

They climbed into the cab of the truck in silence. Bridges seemed to be too lost in the graveness in the situation to be hospitable, which JJ understood completely. So she focused her attention on the road, watching as it curved and dipped. She looked over at Spence, who was busy staring out the window. He never even looked at her. Apparently her avoidance had been well received. JJ vowed that she would fix the damage that she had done to her and Reid's friendship as soon as this case was over.

* * *

As JJ sat in the jet, she fought the drowsiness that was quickly over coming her. She had spent the whole rest of the day working tirelessly, not having a break until the killer was caught. No one had anticipated that the killer would be Sheriff Bridges own son. It was another bitter moment in her career, watching a father have to interrogate his own son.

Normally, JJ would've allowed herself to fall asleep, but she couldn't fight her own curiousity. This case had taken its toll on her emotionally, and though she didn't want to admit it, she knew why. Because at Seventeen, she would've been just like those jocks and cheerleaders. She would have gone along with the crowd, even if it meant watching a body decompose and say absolutely nothing. She thought of the fickleness of popularity, and how consumed by it she'd been. It was hard for her to be around the team, none of which could understand how the kids could do something like this, but she could. She could very easily.

* * *

JJ woke up as the plane landed, glad to be home. She was even happier when she heard Reid speak up. He seemed better than he had earlier, while she was sleeping, she heard him and Gideon talking, but paid no attention to it.

"Hey Morgan, can I get a ride home? My car is in the shop and..." He began to ask but JJ interrupted.

"Spence, I can give you a ride home, it's already on my way." She said easily. JJ saw Morgan smile broadly, she'd known that how badly he wanted her to get over her wounded ego and talk to Reid again. In truth, it seemed Morgan wanted JJ and Reid together more than even Gideon.

"Uh...Sh...Sure." Reid stuttered happily. He followed her out to her car and got in the passanger seat.

A sense of awkwardness filled the car, but JJ was determined to get this over with. "Are you alright? I mean, with Cory Bridges putting that gun to you?"

Reid laughed a little. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks to Morgan, I may have some bruises though." He seemed to ponder something for a minute, staying quiet at first but then speaking up. "JJ, if I did or said anything to make you mad at me, I'm sorry. I mean...I've missed you."

JJ smiled to herself, knowing that it should be her apologizing. "I've missed you too, I've just been busy." JJ lied, adding, "And I'm glad that you didn't get shot by the seventeen-year-old."

"Me too." Reid laughed. "Hey do you want to have a 'Star Trek' marathon tomorrow? I'll even bring my own non-genetically modified potato chips."

JJ swatted him, grateful that she had her best friend back.

* * *

**_AN/So, JJ and Reid are friends again! Woohoo! Let me know if you're still enjoying this story, I've been tempted to wrap it up, but if people still like it then I'll keep going. :)_**


	15. Chapter 15

**_AN/I've noticed that I tend to upload all of my stories at the same time. If that bugs anybody--sorry, 'cause that's just how it is :)_**

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want ice cream? I brought Rocky Road!" Reid teased, sitting down on JJ's small couch.

JJ laughed and shook her head thinking to herself, _Good thing you're cute, because there is no other way I'd let that stuff into my freezer._

"When did this whole sugar avoidance thing start?" Reid asked curiously.

"When I was fourteen. I stopped during soccer season and just never picked it up again." JJ replied, not really paying full attention to the conversation. She was too preoccupied trying to decide what episode to watch.

"I still don't know how you do it. I don't think I could survive without sugar." Reid mused, automatically adding, "Well, I probably wouldn't die, because the only necesities in life are to eat, drink, sleep, breathe and excrete waste, but my quality of life would be severly stunted."

"Well, it started out with me not drinking soda, and it progessively got more organic." JJ explained. "Actually, I don't even want it anymore. I've gone so long without it, I don't remember what it tastes like."

"So it has really been over ten years since you've had ice cream?" Reid asked skeptically.

"I didn't quit ice cream until I was seventeen." JJ deflected.

"And so one day you woke up and said that you'd never eat ice cream again?"

JJ sighed, "It was a dare. My friends and I decided to see who could go the longest without ice cream, I haven't had it since then--other than the great relapse of '00."

"What happened?" Reid asked smiling, anticipating a great story.

"I failed a test, it was my one of my first years of college...it was _bad._" JJ remembered, shuddering slightly at the traumatic memory.

"Well that's surprising." Reid whistled.

"What? Me relapsing?" JJ asked, confused at his odd expression.

"No, that you failed a test. I didn't know people actually didn't pass." Reid remarked, "Well, actually, the pass rate in most college math classes are quite frankly dismal, but I just didn't peg you as the type to fail."

"I'm _not_ the type to fail." JJ defended. "Hence why I drowned my sorrows in a vat of brownies-over-the-moon." She was beginning to get annoyed with the adorable genius. Could he not understand how badly she didn't want to talk about this?

"When I was seven, I got a question wrong a spelling test. Which is embarrassing when you have an eidetic memory." Reid told her, hoping to comfort her.

"What word did you spell wrong?" JJ asked, wondering what word on planet earth could possibly trip up the genius doctor Reid.

"Misogynist." Reid informed her sadly. The memory of this spelling test was one of his most painful. "I was even raised by a feminist, how ridiculous is that?"

"What? Why would you be spelling that word when you were just a little kid?" JJ questioned disbelievingly. Reid just smiled at her, suddenly causing her to remember that he was brilliant and was probably in at least junior high school at the time. "Oh."

The pair just sat there for a moment in the awkward lull in the conversation, Reid suddenly plucked up the courage to ask the question that had been on his mind.

"Are you ever going to tell me why we went so long without talking?" Reid asked carefully, hoping not to anger JJ.

JJ sat there in silence, not knowing what to tell him. Finally, she just shook her head. "Nope."

"Please?" Reid pleaded. For almost two months Morgan had been telling him that JJ would get over it eventually. How come Morgan got to know and he didn't?

"I was busy." She lied.

"You're busy now, but we're talking and having a movie night." Reid pointed out.

"You told me I was one of the guys." JJ admitted sheepishly finally relenting, "I've been considered one of the guys my entire life, and hated it. So, I didn't take it too kindly."

"What? I did not!" Reid defended shrilly.

"Alright let me remind you." JJ cleared her throat, making her best Spence imitation. "_JJ, thanks for coming with me. Real girls scare me."_

"I know that you're a real girl." Reid mentally added _'Just one that I don't stand a chance with.'_Reid was completely confused. He didn't understand how JJ could think that he didn't notice that she was a girl. He was _very _aware that she was a girl. Sometimes too aware.

"Spence, its fine. I'm over it." JJ laughed, "If I wasn't, we would we be having this fabulous 'Star Trek' marathon?"

Reid just shook his head and laughed, grateful that he finally seemed to have JJ back. Knowing that the awkwardness that had been between them for the last few months was finally _completely_ over. "Did you know that I can speak Klingon?"

"No!" JJ shouted excitedly. "How did you figure it out?"

"I'm a die-hard trekkie!" Reid explained, glad to see her enthusiasm. "I watched all the episodes, isolating the tones used and the word combinations and compared it with the context it was in, it didn't take long at all."

JJ listened intrestedly, very impressed with what Reid had done. Truthfully, their 'Star Trek' marathons were the highlight of her time in Virginia. While Spence had the potential to annoy her worse than Brayden could even hope for, he was still always her favorite person to be around. He seemed to understand the dorky side of her that other guys couldn't comprehend. JJ found it nice to be around one person that would be themselves, which allowed her to do the same.

"Wait, I thought there was a book about that--and don't you have an eidedic memory." JJ said after a moment.

"Okay so maybe I read the book first." Reid admitted sheepishly.

* * *

The next case, though more disgusting than most of the cases she had worked since her time at the BAU, flew by. In part, she could thank Dr. Spencer Reid and his 'Klingon for Beginners' lessons. Maybe it was inappropriate--but then, anything to keep their minds sane despite the horrors they saw daily couldn't be inappropriate.

"JJ, its more of a click of the tongue." Reid instructed after JJ's dismal attempt. Klingon was much harder to master than JJ could have ever anticipated. "Like this, _qashta nuq."_ Reid demonstrated.

"I'm never going to get this Spence!" JJ declared, admitting defeat. She burried her head in her hands.

"You will, it's easy." He promised.

Hours later they found themselves in front of a bunch of cars, Reid writing down furiously the different license plates in hopes for a lead.

"Hey, do you want to learn to count?" He asked her while she was reviewing the file of an additional suspect that she had just shown to Hotch _Oley Maynor_.

"Yes!" JJ said immediately, closing the file.

"pagh, wa', cha', wej.." He began, not seeing Morgan and Elle coming up from behind him.

"Oh no! The geeks are friends again!" Morgan scoffed in mock horror.

"Wow, JJ finally seemed to find the use for Midol." Elle added, only half joking. JJ couldn't help but shoot Elle the best glare she could muster, she liked Elle...sort of, but their differing senses of humor seemed to cause a rift between them.

* * *

When JJ awoke the next morning, she rushed to get ready. Lately, she had been arriving at the BAU around the same time as Morgan--an incident that would frighten any self-made perfectionist. Really, she wasn't sure why she continued to get to the office later and later. She got up the same time every morning. It took the same amount of time to get ready in the morning. Her short drive to work hadn't grown astronomically. Yet, for some reason still unknown, Jennifer Jareau was going to be late.

As she scanned her closet for clean clothes that she could wear to work, she was once again faced with the devestating reality that she hadn't had time to do her laundary in almost two weeks--a record. Between cases, her late night marathon with Spence, and traveling with the team, laundary had seemed to come in at a distant last priority. Sadly, this meant that the only clean clothes were those that she _didn't _like or those that she wouldn't be caught dead wearing. Deciding to pick the lesser of all evils, she selected a swirly, ecstacy-esque blouse that Lauren had bought her for Christmas. Praying that today she would be able to hole up in her own office and not have to give a press conference or see _anyone_ she knew, she quickly finished getting ready and walked out the door.

When the notification came in about the missing child--Billie Copeland--JJ felt a small thrill of joy. Maybe her background in MPU would be able to help the case. Her hopes were quickly dashed as she realized that the press had gotten wind of the case. Most of the time, when the press wasn't involved, she was able to help out--this was not going to be one of those cases. When the press was going crazy with a particular case, she usually spent the entire time declining to comment or informing angry reporters that there would be a press conference later to address their questions. _Stupid Press_, she thought with a sigh, then looking down at her own blouse cursed her terrible luck.

* * *

JJ began to roam around the Copeland's front lawn, surveying who she knew that stood corralled just outside the yard. She couldn't help but feel excited when she saw Reid run over to her.

"Hey." He smiled as he tripped a little over his own feet. She always found it adorable that he couldn't walk on a normal surface without falling.

"Hey." JJ smiled in return, glad that they were finally friends again. Her days that involved Spence were already better than normal.

The pair began to walk awkwardly, JJ looking for something to say noticed the large crowd of reporters.

"Wow. Big response." JJ mused.

"Yeah." Reid noted surprisingly the forty some-odd reporters who were yelling and manically taking pictures.

"My friends in the press eat this up." JJ explained to the genius. The team was used to constant media coverage, but this was insane. They never got turn outs like this.

"They have a lot of on air hours to fill." Reid said with a coy smile. He loved that when he talked to JJ, he was interesting without even trying to be. Talking to her seemed to be effortless.

And then JJ saw him. Hal. She tried to decide whether to run or hide, but decided that she'd avoided too many of his phone calls to blow him off here. Her dad would kill her if she was rude to an old family friend. She quietly excused herself from Reid and walked over to her fellow East Allegheny citizen. JJ felt her heart flutter as she saw Reid throw an angry glance at Hal, like he was sizing up a rival. Maybe Reid wasn't as indifferent of her as she thought, she smiled happily at the idea.

"Look who's here." JJ called out, hoping that Hal would be like he was at her brother's party and not like how he'd been the fifty seven times he tried to ask her out--arrogant and moronic. "Came all the way from New York?" She asked smiling slightly.

"A missing little girl is always going to be big news." Hal said, in what appeared to be a charming manner, but really only came off as pompous. _Yep, it looks like he's at least going to be arrogant. _

"So did you get all of the photos and everything you need?" She said, trying to be polite.

"She's been missing since yesterday, how come you guys just got here?" He asked. _Oh, it looks like he's going to be VERY arrogant today._

"We'll have a press conference," JJ deflected, knowing that if she gave some information to _a_ reporter, the rest would hound her for years.

"When?" He persisted.

_Yep, and there is moronic. _"Soon." She insisted. She wasn't good at her job for nothing.

"Come on, JJ, give me something, for old time's sake." He said suggestively.

At his comment, JJ's mind immediately flew back to the countless times growing up where he had assisted her brothers in tormenting her. _And, THERE is the combination! _She thought snidely, then leaned in closely with a resigned look on her face. She blew out a small breath, and said softly, "Yeah, okay." Laughing to herself at the excited look he gave her and the way he grabbed his small notepad and pen.

The idiot _actually_ thought she was going to give him some information--but he was sadly mistaken when she whispered "You may want to rethink that tie." Pulling lightly on the offensively ugly garment and walking off, feeling his eyes on her as she left, JJ had to surpress a chuckle.

* * *

Everything had been going so well. Then stupid _Hal_ had to ruin it. She could feel Hotch's glare on her as the press went wild with the information that a body had been discovered as the parents visibly collasped in front of her. "This press conference is over." She announced as she helped the Copeland's off the podium.

"Is that your idea of patience and compassion?" She fumed as she marched over to Hal.

"They had a right to know." He defended arrogantly.

"A positive identification hasn't been made!" JJ spat angrily, "that was out of line Hal." She marched off, certain that he got the message and prepared for Hotch's reprimand.

As Hotch pulled her aside, she thought she had it coming. Breathing deeply to soothe her nerves, she tried not to let her emotions show. "I'm so sorry. I barely know him but it..."

"JJ, it happens." Hotch interrupted. "Every member of this team has a past and sometimes they do pop up. Unfortunantly, your past involves a reporter who may have permanently ruined the trust built between us and the Copelands."

"I am so sorry." JJ reaffirmed, glad the conversation was going better than she had planned. "I don't even know how he found out about the body."

"He's a journalist, it probably wasn't hard." Hotch waved, letting JJ know that she wasn't on his hit-list. "I just wanted to know if you could do this job with past boyfriends peeking their head's in on our investigation. But I think you handled yourself extremely well." Hotch fought off a smile, wanting to ask the question that present in his mind. "Who is he anyway?"

JJ laughed mirthlessly, "That was Hal. He's the one that I mistook you for and said I was busy." JJ explained. She could see the realization dawn on Hotch as he doubled over in out-of-character laughter. She liked seeing him like this, like he was actually human.

"JJ, I don't pretend to know you well, but how did you end up with him?" Hotch teased as his phone began to ring

* * *

**_AN/I hope you liked it! I don't own Criminal Minds--I'll just throw that out there._**


	16. Chapter 16

**_AN/ Hope you like it!_**

"Ugh." JJ grunted after a knock came loudly on her door. She had gotten back late last night, and had no idea who would be stupid enough to wake her up early on a Saturday morning. Whoever it was, JJ couldn't promise they would make it out alive. As soon as she opened the door, she was sure that her jaw must have dropped.

"What are you doing here? Its before noon!" JJ asked disbelievingly. In the years that she had known Lauren Cawfield, she had never seen her functioning this early. It was definitely a departure from the girls regular routine.

"What are you doing still in your pajamas, its after four-thirty?" Lauren countered. JJ was the epitome of an early riser, waking up at torturous hours in order to do crazy things like clean and exercises. Here it was almost mid morning and JJ looked like she had been sleeping.

JJ just stared in response, knowing that the glare she was giving would be sufficient to break her friend into submission.

"We're going shopping! You need to get some new shoes for Jared's wedding and I need new pants. It's perfect." Lauren said enthusiastically. She hadn't seen JJ in a few weeks and felt like they needed some bonding time. She let herself into the other woman's condo, running to JJ's bedroom. "Lets get you dressed."

JJ looked for a clock, searching for any indication at time it was. Glancing down at her cell phone, she couldn't believe her eyes. "It's not even seven yet!"

"The mall opens at eight, I was giving you time to get ready." Lauren replied dispassionately, rummaging through JJ's closet. "I swear JJ, could you own any more pairs of sweat pants? Honey, I knew you were a bit of a fashion victim without me, but this is beyond ridiculous. How are you supposed to go out in these?"

JJ blushed slightly to herself. She loved DC, she loved all the options that it had given her, but if there was anything she hated about Washington was its social scene. For some reason, she hadn't bonded easily with anyone besides her colleagues. She had a few dates with Agents that she didn't work with, but all the men seemed lacking intelligence or were all out boring. It seemed like a waste to go out when she'd rather be working. Deflecting her friend's question, she decided that there were a few answers she wanted for her own. "Alright, level with me, why are you here so early?"

"What do you mean?" Lauren asked innocently.

"You know perfectly well what I am talking about, why are you here now when the Lauren I know and love doesn't seem to be able to form complete sentences until at least after lunch?"

Lauren internally debated how to answer JJ's question. Deciding that JJ deserved the truth, although she probably wouldn't believe it, she took in a sigh. "Paul and I go running every morning, we've been doing it for months. And while I hate exercises and early mornings like I hate my ex boyfriend, I'm addicted. Unfortunately, Paul is on a case in Cincinnati and I am stuck in Baltimore by myself. I woke up my regular time and I had no clue what I was going to do. So, I decided that it was the perfect time to spend some time with you."

"So I'm your contigincy plan?" JJ asked, the apparent role reversal was blinding. In the years that she had been friends with Lauren, she would've never expected this--never.

"Oh please. While I love you, I can't sleep with you--well I could, but its not my style nor is it yours. Paul however, I can." Lauren defended, pulling random shirts off their hangers to see how they would match with the pair of jeans she had selected for JJ. If JJ didn't know better, she might think she was a life-size Barbie doll.

"What happened to 'friendship never ends'?" JJ teased. Sometimes it felt like her sense of humor was wasted on everyone besides Lauren.

"You did not just quote the Spice Girls." Lauren laughed, throwing clothes at JJ. "Put these on. Now. We have shopping to do."

* * *

Two hours later, JJ found herself in the mall, wanting nothing more than to put a bullet in her own brain. "Lauren, while I like those shoes, I would never wear them again." JJ reasoned.

"You're far to utilitarian, you never see things for the outer-beauty." Lauren said, holding up a pair of flashy, glittery, strappy stilletoes to her ear. "JJ, they're talking, they say they want you to buy them. They promise to help you win over the gorgeous Doctor Reid."

"You talk to shoes?" JJ responded, quirking her eyebrow. "I think we might want to commit you. You know, for the greater good of society." JJ added, dodging the elbow Lauren threw at her.

Then there it was-- the complimentary candy dish at the customer service counter. As Lauren helped herself generously, picking through the wrapped candies for the cherry flavored, JJ cringed. "You're really going to eat those?"

"I know you're a germaphobe, but they're wrapped!" Lauren laughed disbelievingly. She looked at JJ, confused at the strange look on her friends face. JJ stood their in silence, hoping she wouldn't have to explain. After having a staring contest of sorts, JJ finally broke.

"You don't know where they've been." JJ exclaimed. "They could be laced with LSD."

Lauren looked up, surprised. "They can do that?"

"Did I not tell you about it?" JJ questioned. She was sure that she would have told Lauren this story. It wasn't every day that she was working to catch someone who was putting LSD and Rohipnal in candy and in envelopes.

"We haven't talked about work in a while." Lauren rationalized, hoping that she hadn't forgotten something. "But I'm not sure I want to if you're going to say anything that makes me afraid to eat candy."

"Maybe I shouldn't tell you then." JJ conceded, picking up another pair of heels and examining them carefully.

"Well, I do want to hear about work. How's 'Spence', has he finally figured out that you've got the hots for him?" Lauren asked casually, hoping to pry to most intimate of details from her friends life.

"No, he's still blind as ever." JJ blurted mindlessly, as if she was answering a free recall question, slapping her hand over her mouth, she began to back track. "I like him as a friend. Just as a friend."

Lauren raised her eyebrow, disbelievingly.

"Maybe I like him a little more." JJ admitted quietly. "We just get along so well, and every day I tell myself that it isn't going to happen, but it doesn't stop me from wanting it to."

"That's the nature of men." Lauren said sympathetically. "Can't live with 'em, can't live with out 'em." She smiled tentatively. When she asked JJ about the genius, she had been wanting to hear the triumphs of the relationship, not the pit-falls.

"When I was on the poisoning case, we had to go to the hospital together. He's just so much fun to be around, he's always telling me things that I didn't already know and he's just so..." JJ began to trail off. If she had to begin composing a list of what she liked about Spence, she would be doing it for a long time. "But we work together, and there is no proof that my feelings are reciprocated in the least."

"Well, its good that you have fun with him." Seeing the pained look on her friend's face, Lauren decided it was time to change the subject. "How's your boss? Whats his name, Hodge, Hock..."

JJ laughed to herself, Lauren was terrible with names. "Hotch. He's good. Still married. Though he and I had an interesting experience while interviewing Jacob Dawes."

"The guy that killed 12 women with his wife?"

"Yeah, Sarah Jean. And he killed 14 women, that we know of." JJ corrected.

"What happened?"

"Jacob killed blondes, they weren't getting anything out of him so I went in with Hotch. The creep wanted to smell my hair."

"And you let him?" Lauren asked in horror.

"I would've but I didn't need to. Hotch won."

"Huh?" Lauren asked confused, what did winning have to do with anything?

"Poker." JJ said as though it was obvious.

Lauren just stared at the blonde, not sure what to say in response.

"Oh, and I found out why he joined the BAU." JJ added. When she had heard him tell her about it, her level of respect for the man rose astronomically. He didn't do it because he was one of those guys who found morbidity glamorous, but because he wanted to help people before things happened. Before they got to his desk. JJ had never been one to idolize people, because people often disappointed, but she couldn't help but feel like Hotch was someone she had immense respect for. "He used to be a prosecutor and then decided that he had to do something before his cases were harmed.

Lauren contemplated this for a moment. JJ had been telling her for weeks how badly she wondered why Hotch would join the BAU. In JJ's opinion, Hotch was the most competent Agent ever to be held by the FBI, she wondered what the BAU could have to keep him there. "Well, I guess that's a good reason. But how does his wife feel about it?" She asked curiously.

"What do you mean?" JJ hadn't thought much about how Hailey could possibly feel about the job. She always assumed that Hailey was proud of her husband, who wouldn't be? Hotch was continually saving the day.

"Think about how much you work, do you think he's home much with those hours?" Lauren pointed out. "If I were his wife, I couldn't take it. But then again, I don't know in what alternative universe I'd agree to get married, so I guess my opinion is invalid."

"Well, with when Max Ryan came--he's another profiler--" JJ clarified for her friend's benefit. "He said he hadn't seen his family in years, but when Elle asked about Hotch's family life, he said that it was all about keeping things separate." She was sure that Hotch was a great father, he had to be. JJ looked at her friend defensively, while she pretended not to know why she was so protective of the Unit Chief, she actually did. She easily could see the similarities between Hotch and herself. They were similar enough that JJ knew that they shared the same problem--they worked too much. She also knew something else about herself that she didn't readily admit--the job had stopped affecting her. She used to be unable to comprehend how someone could rape another human being, or murder a child. Now, it was second nature. She knew once she took this job that callousness would have to come eventually, if it didn't, she'd get eaten alive. She hadn't planned on it coming so soon.

Lauren understood exactly what JJ was thinking. She knew the blonde well enough to know how she'd react to things. She now felt sick with herself, she shouldn't have broughten up the home life of someone JJ respected and related to. She didn't know why she kept on bringing up sore subjects, she just did. So changing the subject for a second time, she decided to go with the harmless. "So, how's your dad?"

"He's stressed because of Jared's wedding." JJ smiled. "And he's trying to get me married off as well. Its not like I don't date its just..." JJ began.

Lauren then knew what mistake she had made. She'd gone shopping far earlier than she was used to. And now she had JJ in another sore subject. It was going to be a long day. Groaning to herself, she tried to come up with another topic that she could ask the blonde about without making her feel worse.

"Okay, let's go get a pretzel." She interrupted JJ's thought and pulled her friend towards the baked goodie.


	17. Chapter 17

JJ looked herself over once again in the mirror. She was nervous for her second date with Spence. Well, was it a date? She wasn't really sure, she thought it was. They would be alone wandering around the romantic streets of New York. JJ felt like a thirteen year old girl, over analyzing every aspect of how the asking had gone down. She had offered to show Spence around New York when he said he had never been, and after the unsub was caught, he graciously accepted. Now, JJ was fighting nerves like none other.

The world of dating had always seemed fairly effortless to her, this was the first time in years that she could say that she was actually feeling butterflies in her stomach. She wasn't sure, but it seemed like a good sign. People always said that you were supposed to feel the tingles whenever you were around the person you were supposed to be with.

She looked good, she could admit it. Her long blonde hair looked shiney and soft. The dark blue top she was wearing complimented her skin and her eyes. Her complexion looked abnormally good. It seemed like the Fates were on her side tonight. She hoped that this date would end less disasterous than her last with Spence. She didn't know if she could handle being considered 'one of the guys' again. It was time to go.

She stealthily walked out of her hotel room, hoping that Morgan wouldn't hear her. Ever since she had offered to show Reid around New York, he had given her nothing but crap. She didn't want him saying anything to Reid, making the evening more awkward than it needed to be. She knocked lightly on his door, putting on her best smile.

"Hey JJ." Spence said as he opened his door. He stood awkwardly for a moment.

"Spence, this is the part where we go." JJ laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the door. She quickly let go, a little freightened at her own forwardness. She hoped that he wouldn't over analyze it. He tended to over analyze everything.

"So, are you going to tell me where we are going or is it a surprise?" Reid asked as they got into the elevator.

"Actually, you are going to decided where we go." JJ replied with a mischievious grin.

Reid looked at her like a deer-in-the-headlights. "JJ, we don't know the ratio of tourist per capacity. Or the average cost. Or what it is ranked according to Travelocity." Reid began to worry.

"Come on. Just be spontaneous for once in your life." She begged, she knew that this was to be expected, but her friend Reid really needed to lighten up.

"I don't do spontaneous."

"You sound like Hotch. Just give the wild life a shot, I promise I will bring you home in one piece." JJ laughed as the elevator doors popped open.

Reid stood there for a moment, considering his options. Finally, he let out a low groan. "Alright JJ, but we better not end up getting mugged."

* * *

"You've got to admit that it was awesome." JJ laughed wistfully.

"JJ, I just propositioned by a transgender prostitute. How is that awesome?" Reid asked, blushing furiously. "Does that happen to every man in New York?"

"Nope, just you." JJ smirked. "In all fairness, she seemed very nice."

"She also could beat me up. Did you see her biceps?" Reid replied nervously. When he said that they should walk down Broadway, he hadn't expected to meet 'Starla' there. Now that he had, he was worried his life would never be the same.

"Spence, that wouldn't be a problem because you don't hit girls." JJ laughed. Actually, in a fight between Starla and Reid, her money was on Starla.

"Why do all girls assume that?" Reid asked skeptically. "That men automatically won't hit a woman unless he's abusive."

"You should know out of anyone." JJ pointed out, he after all was the one with three Ph.D's. "I think its just good manners." She shrugged.

"But if women want to be equal, don't they give up some of the social norms that hold them in high regard?" Spence smiled curiously. He was raised by a feminist, but for some reason, he didn't understand it in the moment.

"Don't let Elle hear you. She'd murder you." JJ retorted. "And you couldn't do anything about it because you can't hit a girl."

Reid chuckled loudly, appreciative of JJ's sense of humor. "I'll give you one thing, you've got spunk." He teased. Reid couldn't believe what he was doing--he never teased anyone--ever.

"I've got spunk." JJ groaned. "Between I'm not a real girl and now that I've got spunk, you're going to ruin my self esteem."

"What? I was giving you a compliment." Reid defended, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Spunk is what you say when you find someone loud and irritating." JJ explained.

"Your not all that loud." Reid reminded her, suddenly a horrified look donned his face. "I didn't mean that your annoying---I just---Your not--I--Sorry."

JJ grinned and sighed. "Spence, what am I going to do with you?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Have you ever tried a New York style hot dog?" JJ asked, trying to change the subject. If she was going to make Reid a true believer in the great city of Manhattan, he would have to eat the hot dog. Her hand acting on its own grabbed his and pulled him to the the cart that sold the mysterious creations.

Reid blushed. JJ was holding his hand, he was sure that it was all a big misunderstanding. One where JJ thought they were just friends, and Reid was terrified out of his mind. He suddenly became worried that his palms were sweating. JJ would never hold his hand again if they were clammy and sweaty. He tried to calm himself down to no avail. Finally, trying to point the focus away from the fact that he was now holding hands with the prettiest girl in the FBI, he decided to focus on the food in front of him. "JJ, do you have any idea what is in these things?" He asked as JJ bought two, and gave one to him.

"Nope. No one does." She giggled, pouring some mustard on hers. She looked down, apparently her and Reid were still holding hands. She awkwardly let go and put the rogue hand back into her pocket. How did it do that without her knowledge?

She looked over to Reid, who stood there shifting his weight uncomfortably. Apparently the hand-hold did not go unnoticed on his end.

He stammered for a moment. "Uh...JJ...I...Is...What...These hot dogs are good." He suddenly changed his mind, what ever this was, he didn't need to know. Reid tried to hide it from the outside world, but in truth, he was a bit of a romantic. If things were meant to work out between JJ and he, then they would.

JJ nodded in agreement, laughing at the confused look on his face. "You got to love New York." She muttered.


	18. Chapter 18

The wedding had been a long and illustrious affair, but went off without a hitch. JJ just couldn't shake the knowledge that weddings took so much longer when a person doesn't have a date. She'd spent the entire night talking to Brayden and his wife Anna, laughing at how grown up Jared seemed. Her reveling in old family anecdotes ended when she and Anna stood to help serve the wedding cake to the guests.

"Hey, JJ, do you want cake?" Anna offered her a slice.

"Eww, no." JJ recoiled in disgust. "I had a hotdog from New York last week. I think I've had my limit of saturated fats for a lifetime."

"_You_ ate one of _those?_" Anna laughed. Her sister-in-law was one of the biggest health nuts she had ever met, yet Anna herself didn't dare try a hotdog from the street vendors.

"I was on a date." JJ defended, "besides, it's not that I _can't_ eat unhealthy food, I just _don't."_

"Oh, so your odd lifestyle is a choice?" Anna teased.

"Yes, I live an alternative lifestyle." JJ defended, then realizing how that sounded began to backtrack, "not like that." Anna began laughing uncontrollably while JJ's phone began ringing wildly.

"JJ." She said, wondering who'd be calling her now.

"Hey, JJ." Spence's familiar voice came on the line.

"Hey Spence."

"How's the wedding?"

"Fine. Is it wrong that I am wishing I was at work right now?" The pair laughed as they both understood how addictive their job really was. A moment of silence followed, neither really knowing what to say next. Finally, Spence decided to break the silence.

"Well, I was wondering..." His voice cracked as he fidgeted nervously.

"Yeah Spence?" She said, hoping that he was calling to ask her out again. After their sight-seeing night in New York, she was sure that he felt something for her.

"This girl gave me her phone number and I was wondering if I should call her. You're my friend, and I've never really been on a date with a girl." Spence blurted out as JJ felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. Hadn't they been on an unofficial date the week before? And, what was their whole Redskins fiasco?

"Oh. Um, well. Yeah. If you want to." She said, cursing her rare inarticulate moment as she sat down to gain further control of herself. She knew it was Lila, she'd be an idiot if she didn't. She just hoped that nothing would have come of that.

"Yeah, I guess I do want to." Spence said softly, as though deciding at that very moment that he was going to ruin her existence.

"Good. Um, bye Spence." JJ said quickly determined to get off the phone as quickly as possible.

"JJ, thanks for being a good friend." Spence said, his last word feeling like a dagger.

"You're welcome." She said softly, biting back the tears that had mysteriously begun to form. _Not here!_ She commanded herself. As she was fighting for control of her emotions, an older woman approached her and handed her a tissue.

"I always cry at weddings." The older woman insisted. JJ smiled meekly, determined that she would not lose control at her brother's wedding. No, she would get over this as quickly as she could.

* * *

JJ sniffled at the final scenes of 'The Notebook'. Looking at herself, she laughed lightly. _How pathetic!_ She thought as she ate another spoonful of triple chocolate fudge ice cream. She hadn't had ice cream since she got a B- in her college history class. _What would Lauren think of me now?_ She sniffled as she searched for another movie.

"Hmm, 'PS I love You'." She wasn't sure why she was subjecting herself to this emotional torture, but she just needed a good cry. And the only place she could really cry was when she was alone. She hadn't answered the many phone calls from Lauren, Garcia, and even her father. Thus, it was late Saturday Morning, and JJ was still in her flannel pajamas, several tubs of ice cream stashed in her freezer, and the number of the pizza delivery on speed dial.

A sharp knocking on her door startled her out of her rare indulgence. Assuming the charity collector or salesman would leave if she just didn't answer, she remained on her oversized couch, preparing to put the next movie in the DVD player.

"JJ, I know you're in there!" Lauren's voice carried into her home.

"Go away!" JJ tried a last minute effort to keep her privacy.

"Jayje, open this door before I kick it in." Lauren threatened, bringing a smile to JJ's face. Both women knew it was unlikely that Lauren could kick in a door, but she would probably try nonetheless.

"Fine." JJ moved towards the door quickly, then paused as if she was unsure if she wanted to answer it. Finally deciding not to delay the inevitable, she opened the door.

"Jennifer Jareau, what happened to you?" Lauren said in surprise as JJ opened the door.

"Nothing." JJ replied, turning back to the nest-like area she had created in her main room.

"Please, _ice cream!_ When was the last time you ate ice cream? From the looks of it, you've had more in the past hours than you've had in the last ten years!" Lauren retorted, picking up the offending gallon carton.

"Five." JJ admitted. "I have had more today than I have in the last _five _years."

"Well, sorry for exaggerating." Lauren said exasperated, genuinely worried for her friend as JJ snatched the tub of ice cream back.

"Why are you here?" JJ asked as she batted the loose strands of hair from her eyes and began hobbling back to her couch.

"Perfect Paul proposed, but we can talk about that later. What happened?"

"I don't know what you mean. Paul proposed?" JJ deflected as the two women plopped down on the couch.

"Oh, come on, 'The Notebook'? Are you trying to cause yourself as much pain as possible? And yes he proposed. Yes we're getting married. Yes you're my maid of honor. But what's going on?"

"Spencer had a date." JJ sniffed, cursing how meek her voice sounded. She had always been the one to comfort others, and this momentary lapse had let her feel human.

"Spencer? Is this the brainiac that is surprisingly good looking."

"That'd be him." JJ said, scooping an extra large scoop of ice cream directly from the tub.

"Woah, you're not even using the green bowl? This is serious." Lauren looked at her friend in surprise. Lauren knew better than anyone the system that JJ had, and if she was choosing to forego the system entirely, this was a serious issue.

"Just go away. Or let's talk about Perfect Paul. Or anything else." JJ tried to deflect.

"Nu-uh, missy. You get in the shower, 'cause as much as I love you--you smell disgusting." JJ grimaced. "I'll call the gals from your unit, and we'll have a nice little party with our fellow humans. We need other people to eat all of this ice cream, or you may OD."

"No. Just leave me alone." JJ pleaded in a last ditch attempt to get her friend to go away.

"Jayje, what is that you always tell me? The camera may add 10 pounds but ice cream will add 50? I'm pretty sure you're surpassing your own limit."

"Look, I'm fine. Just go."

"Nope. I'm calling Garcia and that new girl. You need some estrogen support right now, and that's just what you'll get. No go take a shower before I hose you off."

* * *

Elle knocked unsurely on the door that she assumed to be JJ's. Some person she didn't know invited her over to JJ's house, and it was only the phone call by Garcia insisting she come that had been the deciding factor. She wasn't sure she even liked the blonde, but as a part of the FBI boys club, girls had to stick together.

"Elle, thanks for coming." JJ smiled as she let the other woman in. Truthfully, she wasn't sure how she felt about the newest member of the BAU, but JJ was nothing if not polite.

"Garcia, I'm counting 7 tubs of ice cream in the freezer. We're going to have to help her out with that." Lauren called from the kitchen.

"When did you buy 8 tubs of ice cream?" Elle looked at JJ in surprise.

"10 tubs. Last night." JJ admitted shortly.

"So you went on a late night ice cream run?" Garcia turned to her, asking for confirmation.

"Why?" Elle asked skeptically. Her blonde coworker was a health nut, ice cream was definitely out of character.

"Because there is a blonde bimbo actress encroaching on her" Lauren began to explain as she came out of the kitchen, but stopped as she saw JJ's warning look and realized her mistake. "...Uh...PMS." Lauren she finished lamely cursing her inability to lie, suddenly trying to save herself from the hole she began digging. By the look on Elle's face, Lauren knew that she didn't succeed. She really was a terrible liar.

"THIS IS OVER REID?" Garcia said, spewing out the coffee she just drank. "All of this is over Reid? Honey, you could have any guy in the FBI, Muscle Man included, and you choose Reid? The boy is adorable, but he is not worth this. You are the hottest girl in the FBI and you fell for the dorkishly awesome Dr. Spencer 'I don't match my socks' Reid? Is the sky falling? Where are the horsemen, we are in for Armageddon."

"I am not in love with Reid. Lauren has no idea what she is talking about!" JJ lied unconvincingly, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, I am an idiot, and am not to be taken seriously." Lauren agreed nervously. She knew that JJ was going to kill her.

Elle and Garcia looked at each other skeptically. If Elle had not heard it with her own ears, she would not believe it, but there was something in JJ's voice that had certainly pointed towards JJ loving, if not at least liking, Reid. There were so many signs, and she was a profiler. It was completely unacceptable that she had not picked up on this sooner. She was at loss for what she was going to say. For one, she really wanted to watch the blonde squirm, and if the crush was on anyone else she would have said something along those lines. But she cared for Reid too much to break the heart of the girl that loved him. She was actually a little proud of her nerdy friend. JJ picked him over all the other men in the BAU--and the other men in the FBI. She had to help Reid get the girl that was actually good enough for him. So, she decided to try to give the girl a pick me up.

"You know, Lila had really weird teeth. They were annoying. I had to look to the side of her so I wouldn't see them."

"Yeah, I have seen them on TV, they could use some work." Garcia agreed, picking up immediately on Elle's plan. Garica knew that if she ever wanted Reid to be happy, she would have to encourage the blonde to go for him. It was like some cute, teenager, chick-flick; where the sweet, sensitive, smart boy actually got the cheerleader. She was not afraid to admit that she was a romantic.

"And have you seen that show she's on? She's not even that good of an actress! Anybody can pretend that they're professional beach volleyball players." Elle scoffed, glad to see the direction the Girl's night was taking.

* * *

_**AN/ Thanks to everybody that reviewed! Also, if you like Criminal Minds, you should check out an older show--Profiler. Good stuff!**_


	19. Chapter 19

**_An/Here's another chapter for y'all, thanks for reading! I still don't own Criminal Minds._**

* * *

"Ugh..." JJ groaned as she awoke on her couch. Her head hurt like nothing she had ever experience before. Was it possible that she seriously had a sugar hangover? She knew that she had fallen off the wagon the last couple days, but that didn't justify the pounding sensation throbbing from her temple. She sniffed around her, smelling a disgusting scent. It took her a moment to realize that she was the cause of the stench in her apartment, but as she did, she groaned loudly. "What time is it?"

"What?" Lauren called from the floor. Garcia and Elle had gone home at respectable hours the night before, but not Lauren. She was going to sit through this with JJ until JJ could take care of herself. She looked down at her cell phone. "Three-fifteen in the morning. You so owe me for this."

"Did I really eat that much ice cream?" JJ moaned, clutching her stomach. Her insides were churning, angry at her for the junk that she had fed them. She now knew that once you had sugar for the first time in years, it was not a pleasant experience.

"You probably would've eaten more if Elle hadn't pulled the bucket from your chocolate covered grips." Lauren informed. "While I know that you two aren't best friends, you have to admit, she's decent enough."

"I don't even know Elle! How am I going to explain that--" JJ trailed, looking for the right words.

"That you fancy the socially awkward man you both work with?" Lauren picked up. "I don't think it needs an explanation. No one can reason with insanity."

"You said you liked Reid." JJ reminded her best friend, trying not to breath in through her nose. Not showering in three days did not agree with her.

"I did like him. Back when he was the sweet guy that was good to my best friend. Now, he is a skinny, little shlup who is a waste of living breath." Lauren admitted. Her loyalty to JJ was unwavering. No man could hurt her and maintain Lauren's good graces. "Just wait until I'm promoted to the K-9 unit. That German Shepard is going to tell him what is what."

"You applied for the K-9 unit?" JJ asked surprised. Lauren had a love for dogs, that was certain, but the dogs that Lauren tended to adore were small, purse sized Yorkies. Anything larger than a beagle was to be considered a giant monster of death.

"Not yet. But if I can wield the dog to do my will, then why not?" Lauren grunted. "Now don't you wish that you had gone on that date with Kramer."

"So that I could get rejected by not just every guy I have ever liked, but every guy I have ever met. I don't think so." JJ was sure of one thing, she was done with the whole love thing. The word was now grossly void, something that only existed in chick flicks and country songs. It was cotton candy in the concession stand of life. _'Ewww. Sugar.' _JJ noted to herself.

"Well this is quite the morning after." Lauren observed. "Are you really going to play 'poor, picked on JJ'? 'Cause if you are, I'm going to need some beer."

"I'm not playing anything. I apparently am the girl that no men want. Spence certainly doesn't." JJ muttered.

"Hal wants you." Lauren retorted.

"Fine. That no _normal _men want." JJ conceded.

"Since when was Reid normal?" Lauren mused, catching an angry glare from her blonde friend. "JJ, why don't you just cut your losses and move on. There has got to be someone better out there. What about that Morgan guy you work with? Garcia certainly seems fond of him."

"Yeah, and I think that she'd kill me if I tried." JJ laughed, the very action hurting her rib. How did she hurt her rib? She was now fully reconverted to her anti-sugar platform. She had lost sight momentarily, but she vowed to never again doubt that sugar was the Antichrist. "Besides, I don't want to be his warm body for a grand total of one night."

"Are there any men here who could get you over Spencer?" Lauren asked, knowing that she was fighting a losing battle.

"One and he's married." JJ confided, pulling the blanket closer to her. She was starting to get used to how she smelled, something that she was glad for. It was a bad day when you are choking on your own stink.

"Stupid wives." Lauren groaned.

JJ chuckled. "Don't say that Laur, soon you are going to be one yourself."

"Fine." Lauren said begrudgingly. "I still think that this is bad luck though. What are the odds that the only decent man in DC is married?"

"Pretty good, considering he is the only decent man." JJ reasoned. "Ugh, I have to work in a few hours."

"Call in sick."

"I can't. I've missed work last week for Jared's wedding, I can't not go today." JJ said before the color drained from her face. "I'm going to have to see Spence!" She cried horrified, burying her head into her pillow.

"It won't be that bad." Lauren tried to comfort.

"Yes it will, because he is going to want to talk about his date or phone call or whatever he had with her, and I'm just going to stand there pathetically while Elle passes judgement on me." JJ said angrily. "It will be that bad."

"Just don't talk to him." Lauren offered.

"Give him the silent treatment? No thanks, I was above that in the second grade, I'm not going to resort to that now." JJ said, shooting down the idea.

"Not the silent treatment perse, I'm talking about more avoiding him. If he starts talking to you, politely tell him that you have work to do. That's how I dealt with me and Agent Crogan breaking up." Lauren clarified. "Although, I won't deny that I would enjoy it tons if you gave Spency a piece of your mind."

"Don't you get it? I'm not mad." JJ saw the disbeliving look Lauren gave her. "I'm not. Its not Reid's fault that he found someone he likes and that it's not me. I just--feel a little hurt. And I don't want everyone at work knowing that I feel hurt because then they are going to look at me like I'm Bambi post hunting season. I can't deal with that."

Lauren nodded. "JJ, you are nothing like Bambi. Its much more like Simba after Mufasa was trampled to death. Much more dignity."

"Thanks." JJ laughed appreciatively. "But, no, back to what we were talking about before. What am I going to do?"

"Hey, I suggested avoidance and you acted like I was a moron. You're on your own." Lauren said jokingly.

"Maybe not talking to him isn't such a bad idea. Not indefinitely, just for today while I figure out where I stand with him." JJ reasoned.

"Exactly." Lauren agreed.

"Uh huh." JJ said before clasping her head in her hands. "I still don't want to go!"

"You have to go." Lauren insisted half-heartedly. "You probably should go back to bed, you have to get up in two hours."

"Alright." JJ shrugged, snuggling into the cotton blanket that was wrapped around her.

"And Jayje."

"What?" She said, her eyes closed as she began to lose consciousness.

"You're going to want to shower. You stink." Lauren informed.

JJ began to chuckle. "Already two steps ahead of you, I'm planning to use my Orchid body wash, it tends to be potent."

"Yeah, you're a little pungent yourself." Lauren retorted, trying to hide her giggling. She didn't know what sleepovers did to her, but she officially felt like she was twelve.

JJ shoved a pillow at Lauren's head, trying to hide how grateful she was that she didn't have to go through this alone. It was nice to have one person that she could be herself around, someone that didn't expect her to have it all together. She was sure that this was the reason that God gave her Lauren, and she would forever be thankful for that.

* * *

**_Send me a review, I'd like to know what you thought. _**


	20. Chapter 20

**_An/ I know its been a while for this story, but never fear, I promise it won't go unfinished._**

* * *

JJ stalled a moment before getting out of her car. The reality of the situation was that she was absolutely terrified to enter the BAU on that wretched Monday morning. Elle and Garcia had watched her lose it. Not just a little, she was a train-wreck. Her stomach was still reeling from the binge of ice cream she had forced herself through. And what was she going to do when she saw Spence? Over the weekend, she had kept trying to tell herself that Reid wasn't worth her tears, but that hadn't stopped her from shedding them. What if she saw him, and lost all of her resolve? What if she melted into a puddle of heart-broken goop that he merely could walk right through? This didn't seem fair.

She was surprised out of her moment of reflection by a few quick raps on her driver-side window. She turned to see a smiling Morgan. "You coming out JJ?"

She smiled and got out of the car as he laughed at her. "What was taking you so long?"

"I've been on vacation for a week." JJ shrugged. "Its absolute torture to come back."

"I know the feeling." Morgan agreed with a smile. "How was your brother's wedding?"

"Oh, great." JJ lied. "It was fantastic."

"You do realize I'm a profiler?" Morgan surmised, seeing right through the false sense of cheeriness that JJ was trying to portray. "What's up?"

"No, its awkward." JJ dismissed.

"JJ, come on. I'm your friend. Tell me." Morgan prodded.

"Well, you remember that case in LA." JJ indicated as Morgan nodded in affirmation. How could he forget it, it was the case where Reid got a girl. And that's when it hit Morgan what had JJ's panties in a knot.

"Oh." He groaned, throwing his head back in sheer annoyance. When was JJ going to get over Reid? He never thought he would say it, but JJ deserved better than Reid.

"Yeah. Well, he called at my brother's wedding and told me all about how he was going to call her and how he didn't do well with real girls. You know, the usual." JJ confided caustically. "Moron."

"Reid is---" Morgan began.

"I know, socially inept, everyone keeps reminding me!" JJ interrupted. "Apparently I don't get to be mad at him when he's a jerk, because he can't help it. I swear everything is a cop out for him. No one dares say that Reid crossed the line." She ranted angrily which surprised her. She hadn't been feeling angry this weekend. She had felt mopey, but not angry. Only now was the full irritation setting in.

"No, I wasn't going to say that." Morgan promised. "I think Reid is being a dog."

"Your taking my side?" JJ asked quietly, a little touched at the idea. No one ever took her side over Reid's.

"Yeah. The dude knows how you feel about being told you aren't a real girl, and he crossed that line anyway." Morgan admitted.

"Are we talking about the idiotic genius?" Elle asked from behind. JJ smiled at the realization of her co-workers support.

"Yeah." Morgan responded. "Wait, she told you?" The surprise eminating from his voice was a little skeptical, JJ and Elle were far from bosom-buddies.

"No, her friend did." Elle laughed. "JJ, your friend can spill secrets faster than I have ever seen, and my mom ran a beauty parlor in Brooklyn."

"Oooh, JJ, you've got a friend?" Morgan smiled wistfully. "Maybe you could bring her around, I could explain the BAU thing better to her."

"Nice try Morgan, but she just got engaged." JJ shook her head.

"That's never stopped me before." Morgan grumbled under his breath.

Elle laughed is disbelief. "You are such a chauvinist pig."

"That's how the ladies like them." Morgan shrugged, earning light slaps from both women.

JJ was pleased to know that even outside the sector of her feelings for Reid, she still had people who cared about her at the BAU, and that felt better than she could ever imagine.

* * *

When JJ got the phone call from the Embasy to work with a small town in Mexico, JJ groaned loudly. She was going to have to call Hotch on his birthday. She was starting to realize that Hailey hated her, and she had a good inkling why. If there was any way to avoid it she would. Maybe Gideon would help her out.

"Gideon." JJ said sweetly as she rapped on his door.

"What JJ?" He said, not looking up from his newspaper.

"Wait, no hello?" JJ laughed.

"You don't come into my office unless you have a reason. What is it?" He had the grandfatherly gleam in his eye that made him so approachable for JJ. Though recently, she had noticed that Garcia didn't share the same sentiments.

"Can you call Hotch and tell him we have a case?" She bit her lip tentatively.

"Your scared of Hailey." He mused.

With that, JJ cracked. "She hates me. I really don't know why--"

"Your the voice that is always calling Hotch to work. Your voice is the most recognizable as the source of discontent in her marriage." Gideon explained.

"Well, its not my fault. I'm not the one killing people." JJ defended. She didn't care why Hailey hated her, she just knew she did. "Can you just call?"

"If I intervene now, you'll never learn to deal with fear in a healthy, rational way." Gideon reasoned.

JJ groaned.

"I'll do it this once, because Hotch is essential for this investigation." Gideon said after a moment. "But Hailey is far less scary now that she isn't pregnant."

"I'll take care of it next time." JJ smiled.

"Cowardice isn't your usual style." Gideon mused as he picked up the phone.

JJ knew that he was a little disappointed by her shunning the fight, but she couldn't help it. She had a bad enough weekend without having to deal with a woman who hated her. "Thanks."

* * *

As JJ boarded the jet, she prayed that Reid wouldn't try to be nice to her. She wanted nothing less than to pretend that she wasn't hurt. She had feelings for him that he would never return, and she could accept that in time. She just couldn't pretend to be content with their awkward friendship. But her prayers were in vain as he plopped down across from her. She tried to not groan, but her eyes caught with Elle's, who smiled sympathetically. As her friendship with Reid deteriorated, she grew closer to Elle. It was becoming an odd phenomenon.

She glanced over to Hotch, who sat agitatedly in his seat. _Trouble at home. _JJ thought to herself. It was a good thing that Gideon had called because Hailey would have had no problem saying no if it had been her. "Hey at least you get to spend your birthday weekend in Mexico." She offered as a comfort, though she knew it was unsuccessful.

"Yeah. What's the word for 'Dog house' in Spanish?" Hotch mused.

"La Cassa De perro." Reid answered, sounding very unspanish like. JJ had never taken Spanish, so she wasn't sure what it was supposed to sound like, but it didn't sound right.

_"Yeah buddy, that's where you are." _JJ's mind retorted though she suppressed the urge to say it aloud. She was rescued by Elle who went into her usual teasing of the genius. JJ tried to focus on work but it was difficult. She felt angry, not in the way that she had after the football game, but in a foreign way. Like Reid had knowingly torn out her heart and crushed it, indifferent of how it felt for her. She tried to fight it, but she felt nothing more than self pity at the moment.

As the briefing was over and the team dispersed, Reid leaned over to JJ. She tried to turn her head, but he caught her before she could pretend to be busy.

"Thanks for telling me to go out with Lila." He smiled appreciatively.

"So you had fun." JJ muttered.

"A lot. Lila and I have a lot in common." Reid chuckled. "Well, you know, with the exception of her being a million dollar a year actress and---"

"I got your point." JJ interjected, not feeling like she wanted the low-down on Lila Archer at the moment.

"Anyway, thanks JJ. You're a great friend."

And with that, JJ turned her head as she fought the tears. She couldn't cry over this again. Not again. Not after she had dedicated her entire weekend to letting him wipe the floor with her.

"JJ, are you alright?" Reid asked instantly.

"I'm fine Spence." JJ choked out. "Never better."

"Are you---"

"She's fine." Morgan assured the genius. "JJ, come sit next to me, I think we need to talk football."

Grateful that Morgan had chosen to sit across the jet where Reid wouldn't be, JJ got up from her seat and plopped down next to him.

"Thanks." She whispered.

"I've always got your back." He promised her. "Always."

And with that, JJ knew that as long as she had Morgan to get through this, she would be alright. Though initially she hadn't been sure of him, he had grown on her in ways no one would have predicted.

* * *

**_An/ Drop me a review if you so feel the need. I promise that it motivates me to write just so much faster._**


	21. Chapter 21

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

"JJ." Morgan called as he knocked on his friend's office door. "Can I come in?"

"What?" She responded, trying to focus on the files at hand. Since the case in Mexico, she had tried to keep all things work, work and everything else separate.

"I've got a proposition for you, Rookie." Morgan said affectionately.

"I thought our deal was that you weren't going to call me that ever again." JJ chastised, giggling a little. While not a profiler, Morgan was shifting his weight nervously. Something was messing with the Derek Morgan magic and JJ wanted so badly to know what it was. "What's up?"

"Do you want to go out with me tonight?" Morgan asked quickly, trying to get the painful part over with.

"Huh?" JJ gasped, not knowing what to say. She hadn't known what she was expecting, but that was not it.

"I think that you deserve to be treated to a night on the town by a real man. A real man who knows that you are a woman and an attractive one at that." Morgan said, laying on the charm. "So what do you say?"

JJ thought about it for a moment. Morgan wasn't really her type, and she really didn't feel like getting played again, but who said it couldn't work out? It was just one night, and she deserved as much as anyone to feel like a human being and not a one way switchboard as Reid saw her. "Why not? Yes, I'll go."

"Alright, great!" Morgan exclaimed. "I will be at your house seven sharp."

* * *

"Morgan, do you want to go get a beer after work?" Reid asked as he sifted through his files. It had been a while since he had time for human interaction and tonight felt like a good night for a 'guy night'.

"Sorry kid." Morgan deflected easily. "I've got a date."

"Of course." Reid muttered, leaning back in his chair. "Who's it this time? The girl in Counter-terrorism?"

"Nope genius." Morgan chuckled. "I've got a date with JJ."

With that statement, Reid began to wave frantically, losing his balance on his leaning chair and falling to the floor. As he worked to pick himself up, his face flushed furiously. "What?"

"Yeah, me and JJ are going to dinner." Morgan said, rubbing the sweetness in Reid's face. He had resisted his initial attraction to JJ because he wanted to save Reid's feelings, but if Reid wasn't going to take advantage of the situation, then Morgan certainly would.

"You can't go out with JJ." Reid said passionately. "You can't."

"Its a free country." Morgan countered.

"But the Bureau has rules about this." Reid said, as though that was the basis of his argument. Really, going into it, he had no idea why he was opposed to Morgan seeing JJ outside of work, but it felt all wrong. JJ couldn't go out with Morgan.

"Rules that no one listens to." Morgan chuckled, glad to get this rise out of Reid.

"But you work with JJ." Reid reminded. "You don't date women who carry guns!"

"JJ doesn't normally carry her gun though." Morgan mused, finding that there was a loophole everywhere he turned. "So I'm not really crossing any personal lines in the sand."

"JJ--" Reid began, searching for another reason but failing to find any decent ones. The truth was, he simply didn't want Morgan to date JJ. Though it was hard for him to admit, he was sure that Morgan didn't love JJ half as much as he did.

"Reid, level with me. Tell me why your really opposed to me taking JJ out?" Morgan said finally.

"Don't hurt her." Reid said, his eyes avoiding Morgan's. He was eternally grateful that Elle wasn't in today to mock him. "I can watch you take advantage of all of these women, but if you hurt JJ. If you hurt her Morgan, I may kill you."

"I won't hurt her anymore than you did." Morgan retorted.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Reid bit out bitterly.

"How many times have you told JJ that she wasn't a girl?"

"I said not a real girl." Reid defended. "She's the only girl that I can talk to."

"So that justifies you hurting her." Morgan said coldly.

"I didn't hurt her." Reid countered. "I doubt JJ even notices what is going on with me."

"So that's why she's been avoiding you for the past week and a half." Morgan rolled his eyes.

"Seriously man, you can have any girl in the entire world and you choose the one that I like." Reid accused, accidentally knocking over his empty coffee cup.

"Kid, I care for you like a brother, but I have two sisters and you can't treat women that way." Morgan said, his fury falling upon the deft genius.

"Oh, opposed to screwing them and never calling them back." Reid began to shake, feeling wrath that was new to him. Morgan should've known not to do this to him, he thought his friendship meant more than that.

"Reid, I may not be the most commital person in this room but atleast I treat JJ decently." Morgan defended.

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning that the girl likes you kid, and you have done nothing to deserve it." Morgan said, almost feeling as though Elle had rubbed off on him a little too much. "You don't want me dating JJ? That's fine, I'll back off after tonight. But you're going to have to man up to keep a catch like her from being snatched up by some other guy."

"JJ likes me?" Reid stammered, forgetting that he was angry with Morgan.

"And you're supposed to be a genius." Morgan shook his head. "The girl watches Star Trek with you, and your telling me that hearing that she has feelings for you surprises you?"

"Many people like Star Trek Morgan." Reid said sheepishly. "It doesn't mean--"

"You're a profiler and you don't notice how JJ magically lights up when you enter a room? Or how when she hears about other women with you, she immediately begins drinking her coffee at record speed?" Morgan began to chuckle. "I swear, I'm in a chick flick."

"She doesn't light up when I'm in a room." Spencer deflected, feeling as all the pieces welded themselves together. JJ had feelings for him, for him, the genius who had no one. He couldn't believe his luck. But then it hit him, the guilty of all the things said that he shouldn't have. "Oh no Morgan, I told her all about me and Lila!" Reid exclaimed, eyes full of worry.

"Yes you did." Morgan chuckled, glad to see that Reid was finally getting the picture.

"What does she see in me?" Reid asked disgustedly.

"Dude, I have no idea." Morgan said, sticking it to the awkward genius.

"Are you still going to see her tonight?" Reid inquired anxiously, not knowing if he could handle the idea of Morgan and JJ alone together.

"I already asked, of course we're still going." Morgan said, annoyed that Reid thought that him finally figuring out which end was his head and which end was his butt changed anything.

"But you said she had feelings for me!"

"Well, that doesn't change the fact that you don't really deserve her right now." Morgan said, standing his ground.

Reid knew he was going to have to do something, and do it fast, because if not--he could end up losing JJ to Morgan.

* * *

"Hey Morgan, you're a little early..." JJ rambled as he opened the door at six fifteen. She was only half ready and wasn't sure why Morgan had decided to arrive forty five minutes before he was supposed to. But when JJ finally looked at who she opened the door for, she was stunned to see it was another man from the BAU. "Spence, what are you doing here?"

"Don't go with him." Reid blurted, letting himself into JJ's condo. "I know I have no right to ask you for this, but please JJ, don't go with him."

"Don't go with Morgan?" JJ questioned blankly, trying to understand. Her mind was far from working normally and hadn't been since she saw it was him.

Reid nodded silently. "Please."

"Why not?" JJ inquired, finding a small amount of wrath boiling within her.

"I'm in love with you JJ. I can't watch you go on a date with Morgan who is a good person, but doesn't love you like I do." Reid said pleadingly. His eyes begging for her favor.

"You love me?" JJ asked, furry overtaking her.

"Yeah, I do."

"You love me?" She spat out acidly.

"Yes, I don't know---" Reid began to sputter before being sharply interrupted.

"That is the biggest load of---"

"JJ, please." Reid begged. "I promise, I really do think I'm in love with you."

"Then why have you called me thousands of times to help you with your love life?" JJ shook her head derisively. "You have some gall coming up here and telling me you love me when from day one you've made me feel like I'm nothing more than your friend. I've listened to you moan and groan about every word you have ever spoken with Lila. I've listened to your sob stories about how your life is terrible. I've loved you despite the fact that you've given me no reason to. And then, when with my last shred of dignity I try crawling away and moving on by going on one date with a guy that isn't you and might actually be nice to me, you come up here, without even so much as a 'hey JJ' and make me feel guilty for trying to save myself from you."

Reid took the words harshly at first, trying to wound his injured ego. But as he remebered that he hurt JJ more than he could ever know, he decided it was time to as Morgan said it 'to man up'. Breaking into one long stride, he pulled JJ into an embrace and forced his warm lips upon hers. JJ fought for a moment before her entire resolve began to shatter. Opening herself to what she had wanted, she deepened the kiss with the genius, feeling as though they were making up for all the lost time.

Panting as he did so, Reid broke away, looking JJ straight in the eyes. "Hey JJ." A smile began to tug at his mouth, feeling as though he had conqured the world.

"Why are you doing this to me?" JJ whispered softly.

"What?" Reid asked, clasping her hands in his.

"This." She smiled mirthlessly. "Why are you making it harder for me to move on?"

"I love you JJ." Reid vowed. "I want to prove that to you."

"You've had every opportunity to do that." JJ said, confusion crashing into her carefully crafted world. "And you haven't."

"I'm doing it now." Reid chuckled. "I'm saying it. I love you JJ."

"You should go." JJ said somberly.

"JJ." Reid pleaded.

"Please Spence." JJ insisted quietly. "Please go." She had gotten hurt so badly by this man, she couldn't bare to let herself fall in worse agony.

Reid nodded silently before leaving, his heart visibly shattered. JJ in return wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold herself together. She didn't know where to go from here. She had heard everything she'd wanted to hear, but she couldn't have it. Reid had proved that he just didn't know how to care about her, and she couldn't let herself be disappointed again.

* * *

**_An/ The angst will end soon, just keep holding on! Be sure to let me know what you thought!_**


	22. Chapter 22

**_An/ So this is going to be the last chapter of the Rookie, I appreciate all of you who stuck with it until the end, its very much appreciated. When this story idea was originially concieved, it was supposed to be about how JJ got to be such an influential part of the team but I continued on from there for romance's sake and I feel like this is a good place to end this story. I just feel like its been such a long time for this story (I started it in November and I've never continuously written one story for six months, nor do I plan to ever again). Anywho, thanks for being here for the end._**

**_After this point, its all pretty AU. This is the end of it, so invision whatever you'd like for the rest of the series, but this is the end of my commentary on how JJ grew to become JJ._**

**_I do not nor have I in any point of this story pretended to own Criminal Minds. So if you're still getting confused, you might want to talk to someone._**

* * *

"So that was fun." JJ smiled as Morgan walked her to her door. It was obvious why every woman in the world loved Morgan, it was because he did dating well. She tried to banish from her mind the events that had happened just hours earlier. Her life would be so much easier if she was in love with Morgan. She knew it, but it didn't change that she already was a little more attatched to a certain genius than she could admit.

"I had a good time. Who knew you could act like a female for an entire evening?" Morgan teased, shifting his wieght nervously. While earlier this had seemed like an oppurtunity to snatch up a good looking woman, Morgan realized tonight that if there was anyone he couldn't be with on a romantic level, it was JJ. They had a great time, but something about her screamed 'buddy' to him and he would always just see her as a friend. It was alright to know that she probably feeled the same way. He saw how she paused awkwardly as though she was going to say something, which she had been doing all night. It dawned on him finally, like a ton of bricks falling from the sky. "The kid tried something, didn't he?"

She nodded timidly, her mind still wrapped in what had been one of the most confusing moments of her life.

"Well, if he isn't motivated by competition?" Morgan asked retorhiclly. Normally, he would just let Reid have the girl, but this was different. Reid had stepped all over JJ for months now, and he came begging for her to keep on letting him.

"For the record, you are a much better gentleman." JJ said, her eyes begining to grow watery. She knew now that what she wanted more than anything was to talk to Lauren. Lauren would know how to fix this because JJ just didn't.

"But you aren't in love with me." This wasn't a question, it was a matter of fact. "You love him."

"You know, its stupid. He can hurt me and make me feel like he doesn't want me, but I don't want anyone else." She said softly, looking in his eyes for understanding. "I've dated. I've looked for other guys I can care about, but I just...I just don't feel for the way for them that I do about Reid. Isn't that just the luck? I feel like a masochist because I've already learned that the only thing Spence can do is hurt me, but I want him still. I would rather be in a crappy relationship with him than a decent one with a man who cares about me."

"You sound like an after school special." Morgan teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"I know." JJ agreed, fighting the tears from the hours before still. "I just wish I would grow a mind or something."

"JJ, I have a question before I go and let you be miserable." Morgan smiled as he teased. "Are you sure you love him or are you just addicted to him."

"Probably a little of both." She surmised, opening the door behind her. "One of these days Morgan, when you find a special girl, she is going to be the luckiest woman in the world." JJ said truthfully, leaning in and kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"One of these days Reid is actually going to deserve you." Morgan said honestly, looking at the woman who he loved platonically. "Night JJ."

"Good night Morgan." She smiled and waved wearily as she watched him walk away. She wished that she could be in love with him, the player instead of the genius who didn't really treat her as he should.

* * *

By the time JJ walked into her apartment, she heard her phone ringing wildly off the hook.

"Jareau." She said as a huffing voice panted for air.

"Where have you been?" Lauren shrieked.

"On my date with Morgan, like I told you." JJ said, her voice full of confusion.

"Well, your lovely genius friend decided to give me a visit." Lauren whispered loudly. "He told me about a certain romantic display he made for you."

"Spence visited you?"

"Oh I wish I were kidding. At first I just stared at him like he was selling bibles or something but then he introduced himself and we had a nice chat."

"You and Spence had a nice chat?" JJ scoffed. "If that isn't the funniest thing I've heard in my entire life, I don't know what is."

"He seemed sincere, like he really cares about you Jayje." Lauren mused.

"Don't even get me started on him." JJ muttered. "He's just full of it."

"He sounded like he was sincere." Her friend brought up.

"Please, he just wants me now because Morgan took me out." JJ said, rolling her eyes. "The last thing I need is him hurting me again."

"Would you just give him a chance?" Lauren quipped. "He's on his way to your house now."

"So you are just handing me over to him, after everything he has done." JJ said icilly. "Nice."

"If you aren't going to worry about your happiness, I'm going to." Her friend retorted.

"What if I don't let him in?" JJ asked defiantly.

"Then its you who gets to live the rest of your life as a harpy hag who said no to true love." Lauren countered shortly. "JJ, I love you too much to let your pride get in the way of your happiness."

"Whatever, let him come. I doubt anything he says is going to change anything." JJ mumbled, playing with the zipper on the back of her dress.

"At least give him a fighting chance." Lauren urged.

"I'll call you tomorrow after I figure this all out." JJ groaned as she heard a sharp knock on the door. "I've got to go."

"Remember what I've said." Lauren said firmly.

"Like I could forget." JJ moaned slightly, hanging up the phone. She meandered slowly to the door, not sure if she had the courage to answer it. Breathing in deeply, she turned the handle with one fluid motion, seeing the awkward genius for the second time that evening.

"Hey Spence." She said, slightly rolling her eyes.

"JJ, you um... you look lovely..." He sputtered before looking at her blankly. "You...You were expecting me?"

"Lauren called." JJ informed shortly as ushered him in and slammed the door shut.

"She was supposed to keep it a secret." Reid groaned angrily.

"Lauren doesn't do secrets or surprises. She does however, do meddling, which she does very well." JJ said, smiling lightly as she spoke of her friend. Even if tonight was a large blunder, she would always have Lauren to run to when things outright sucked.

"You could have told me that." Reid surmised, looking at her straight in the eyes.

"When would I have told you that? When you were constantly telling me about Lila Archer? Or even, better earlier tonight when you suddenly realized that you loved me even though I'm finally moving on?" Her eyes were wide with ire. "When I'm with you, I don't even have time to talk, why in the world would I talk about someone you don't even know? Oh wait, I know, because she's the only person on the planet who could make me talk with you tonight!"

"I may not be good at this dating thing, but you have to give me a little credit." Reid chuckled.

"Spence, what do you want?" JJ panted, not knowing if she could take anymore of this.

"To tell you I love you." He said firmly. "And that I'm sorry that I didn't prove that to you sooner."

"You already said that. If your monologue is going to be the same, you can save it, I've heard it all before." JJ said stiffly.

"I've loved you since that day when you walked into the BAU wearing that black skirt. I've loved you since the day I actually met you and I had to watch you and Morgan get aquainted. I've loved you since the day I accidently broke your ankle. I've loved you since the day that you and I learned to speak klingon..."

"I get the point." JJ interrupted. "But I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can allow you to hurt me again. I've never let myself cry over a man before but I've cried over you. And if you really loved me, if you really loved me I wouldn't be crying."

"JJ, I screwed up." He said softly. "I was too afraid of ruining our friendship to be the man in this relationship. I'm sorry, you have no idea how badly I wish I told you that night after the Redskins game that I was in love with you. But instead of kissing you like I wanted to, I ruined everything. And then I met Lila and she--"

"She--" JJ pressed, wanting to know the current situation with the genius and his starlet.

"And she was a distraction, but she never cared for me like you did. No one has ever cared for me like you have." Reid said with certainty.

"But you've never cared about me Spence and I can't do a one sided relationship." JJ folded her arms closely to her. "I think its a little late and--"

Her excuses were cut off by the nervous genius, springing a warm, deep kiss on her waiting lips.

"You've already done that tonight." JJ reminded him. "What, are you out of fresh material?"

"That's what they did in the chick flick you made me watch." Reid shrugged. "It worked for them."

"But we aren't in a chick flick." JJ scoffed. "My guess is that we're in a comedy and a dark one at that."

"Its no Star Trek." Reid mused, glad to see a smile that tugged at JJ's mouth but she quickly suppressed. "But if we were in a movie, I wouldn't care what kind if I had you."

"Well Dr. Reid, that was quite romantic." JJ sighed, but she grew stern again as she reminded herself of her furry. "But it still doesn't change anything."

"JJ, why won't you just let yourself forgive me?" He exasperated.

"Because I don't want to!" She bellowed. "I'm so tired of getting hurt by you Spence. You keep on nearly killing me and its like you don't even know you're doing it! And then after you hurt me, I'm the one who's left feeling guilty because I think of how you need a friend!"

"JJ--" He said, reaching out a comforting arm to her that she swiftly shrugged away.

"And what's worst." She said fuming, pointing a sharp finger into his chest. "What's worse is that even though I am so absolutely possitively furious with you, I can't even have a good time with a wonderful man like Morgan because I'm to busy thinking of you. I'm not this girl and I hate that you turned me into it!"

"I want to make this right." Reid insisted. "I love you, and I want you to know that you can trust me."

"Spence, the unconditional adoration I had for you is finally ebbing." JJ said softly. "Please just let it."

"I'm being stubborn, I'm not leaving. Not until you love me." Reid promised, a smile dancing on his lips. He was winning and JJ knew it.

"While I appreicate your...sprightliness, I can't just allow myself to go down this road again." JJ said firmly.

"But you want to go down this road." He mused, now feeling a little more lively than ever before.

Unable to lie, JJ let out a pathetic sigh. "What I want and what is good for me are two entirely different things."

"What if I promise to never hurt you again?" Spencer asked hopefully, seeing that JJ's resolve was melting.

"Then I would probably trust you, and then probably get hurt again." JJ laughed mirthlessly. "Seems to be how these things go with us."

"But I wouldn't hurt you." Reid promised, pulling her into his waiting arms. "I couldn't hurt you, not after tonight. JJ, you make me feel..._alive_. No one else has ever been able to do that, and I would rather die than go back to a life where I'm not living."

Groaning loudly, so loudly that Reid thought she was actually going to throw him out, JJ looked up, fully annoyed. "You hurt me again and I will kill you. I'm not playing or teasing in the least. You tell me I don't count as a girl and I will show you just what a girl can do."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Reid smiled, pulling her in closer.

"I am not commiting to anything until you take me on a proper date." JJ declared decisively. "I'm not allowing one two in the morning conversation turn us into a couple. You're going to have to earn it."

"Deal." Reid smiled, bending down to kiss her. However, before he could seal the deal, JJ's and his cell phones both began to ring.

"Life goes on as normal." JJ mused, picking it up and answering. While everything had changed, more had stayed the same. Two Am phone calls saying that they were meeting with the CIA, while not typical, was to be expected. And while her time at the BAU had been one emotional rollarcoaster, she knew she would never regret going to the interview that Lauren and Garcia had set up for her. She was finding that while Lauren shamelessly controlled her life, she might have just done a pretty good job at it. Maybe Lauren was right for once, not that JJ would ever tell her that.


End file.
